Columbia River Reader Sept 2026

CRREADER.COM Vol. XXIII, No. 258 • September 15, 2026 • COMPLIMENTARY Helping you discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region at home and on the road

page 25

theGist ofGrist

JEFFREY BERRY CARETAKER

page 17–20

CEDAR CREEK’S MAGNIFICENT MILL

People+ Place page 30

COLUMBIA RIVER

dining guide

page 37

THE CLAMSHELL RAILROAD • MUSIC BRINGS HAPPINESS • WESTPORT GETAWAY

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

you discov

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+

NNER

Place

The art of the woodcut

page 19

page 28

COLUMBIA RIVER

dining guide

ESCAPE TO BARCELONA • “FEATURED

CHEF” RETURNS

A GORGE

HIKE WITH

DOGS •

MAKE YOU

R OWN

WINE •

LEWIS &

CLARK’S

LOAD

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

Gregory L. Gorham

Above: “The Blynman Bridge House Detail,” Acrylic

“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

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.”

pacific northwest woodcuts and haiku

Debby Neely From Words and Wood

debby neely

COLUMBIA RIVER READER PRESS

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.

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

dispatches from the discovery trail

Featuring the work of woodcut artist Debby Neely “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

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.

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

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America’s Planned City and the Last Frontier

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

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Sue’s

TEASER to Greg Smith’s astronomy column, page 6:

Views

“Pillars of Creation” M16,Eagle Nebula, NGC 6611 Image released 10/19/2022

Joy in this good life

F

all has arrived! This is many people’s favorite season, including mine, with colorful crunchy leaves, our return indoors, the lighting of candles, and savory, slow-cooked foods instead of hot dogs on the grill.

I hope you’ll enjoy John Keats’s poem, “To Autumn,” on page 27. I typically place it on this page alongside my column, but decided instead to use the color space for “Pillars of Creation,” the photo Greg mentions in his astronomy article (on page 6, a black and white page).

The stunning and mystifying “Pillars of Creation” certainly puts a lot of things in perspective. For me, the vastness of space, the mystery of the Universe, and the miracle of life itself all come front and center in this image. I hope it speaks to your sense of wonder, too.

Sue Piper

People+Place:

Editorial/Proofreading Assistants: Merrilee Bauman, Michael Perry, Marilyn Perry, Susan Nordin, Tiffany Dickinson, Ned Piper

Jeffrey Berry at Cedar Creek Grist Mill Photo by Hal Calbom See story, page 17–20 Columbia River Reader is published monthly and distributed throughout 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 6, 22.

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

Advertising Manager: Ned Piper, 360-749-2632 Columbia River Reader, llc 1333 14th Ave, Longview, WA 98632 P.O. Box 1643 • Rainier, OR 97048 Office Hours: M-W-F • 11–3* *Other times by chance or appointment E-mail: publisher@crreader.com Phone: 360-749-1021

This is a region where young stars are forming – or have barely burst from their dusty cocoons as they continue to form.

And in this season of mellow fruitfulness, as we enjoy Earth’s bounty or think beyond the stars, may we all practice gratitude, humility, and find joy in this good life.

ON THE COVER

Columnists and contributors: Hal Calbom Nancy Chennault Patti Conley Alice Dietz Joseph Govednik Ann Kastberg Tom Lee Michael Perry Ned Piper Robert Michael Pyle Marc Roland Alan Rose Greg Smith Andre Stepankowsky Jim Tejcka Judy VanderMaten Dennis Weber

The pillars look like arches and spires rising out of a desert landscape, but are filled with semitransparent gas and dust, and ever changing.

If you can, do make a visit to the Cedar Creek Grist Mill’s Cornbread Day Sept.

26 or Cider Pressing Oct. 31 (see page 20).

Let your visit be a soulful experience as you ponder our predecessors the pioneers, who in many ways faced greater challenges than we do.

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

Publisher/Editor: Susan P. Piper

The Pillars of Creation are set off in a kaleidoscope of color in NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s nearinfrared-light view.

Greg writes about two new telescopes named after two women (!), science visionaries Nancy Roman and Vera Rubin. We can perhaps, in part, thank Gloria Steinem, an icon of the women’s movement who passed away recently. We’ve come a long way, baby!

CRREADER.COM Since April 2004 Visit our website for the current issue and archive of past issues from 2013.

Photo credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI); Danielle Kirshenblat (STScI).

From science.nasa.gov

In this Issue 4 5 6 6 7 7 7 9 11 12 14 15 16 16–20 21 21 22–23 24 25 26 26 28 28-29 30 31 33 34 34

Letters to the Editor Civilized Living: Miss Manners Astronomy / Night Sky Report Roland on Wine: Restoring Wine’s Place at the Table Taking Flight: Our Feathered Friends Mt. St. Helens Club Hikes Andre Stepankowsky: We are not robots Dispatch from the Discovery Trail • Episode 29 Glimpses of History: The Clamshell Railroad Biz Buzz CRR Food Classics: Let the crock-pot cook dinner Museum Magic: A Westport Getaway Me & My Piano People + Place: The Gist of Grist — Cedar Creek Mill Ocean Park Garlic Festival Memories of maps and back roads Outings & Events / Performances / Exhibits In the Spotlight: On the Brink!

Northwest Gardener: Cherry Tomatoes “To Autumn,” by John Keats Where to Find the Reader (24/7 and even in your bathrobe) Quips & Quotes / Besides CRR What Are You Reading?

Cover to Cover / Bestsellers List / Book Review Columbia River Dining Guide A Different Way of Seeing: CRRPress Book Excerpts Where Do You Read the Reader?

The Spectator: When it rains, it pours ... tomatoes Plugged In to Cowlitz PUD: Prepare for Storm Season

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 3

Letter to the Editor

What floats to Oregon doesn’t always stay in Oregon

Your “Blue Highways” article last issue

by Hal Calbom, spotlighting the Bellevue glacial rock near Amity,Oregon, reminded me of the article I wrote in the March 2013 Reader.

It was about the Willamette Meteorite, a special kind of “erratic” deposited on the hillside above Oregon City by one of the massive Missoula Floods that J. Harlan Bretz proved occurred during the last Ice Age.

The lack of a crater under that 16-ton iron meteorite proved it was an “erratic” that floated on the ice from Montana to Oregon during one of the Missoula floods.

Conditions created by Mother Nature not always stable

It is a delight to read the many informative and educational columns published in the Columbia River Reader. For example: the recent thoughts by Andre Stepankowsky in “From Noah to Now” (August issue).

Too bad the Willamette Meteorite, the largest ever found in North America, ended up in the New York Natural History Museum. A 1/5 scale replica stands at West Linn’s Fields Bridge Park (821 Willamette Falls Dr.) and a full-size replica at 1683 Willamette Falls Dr. (corner of 14th and 7th Street) in West Linn, Ore. Michael O. Perry Kelso, Wash.

HThe actual 16-ton Willamette Meteorite, comprised of 91% iron and 8% nickel, now resides in the New York Natural history Museum (above).

Read the original article by clicking “Past Issues,” at CRREADER.COM and navigate to the 2013 Stack, March, page 12. Michael Perry is also the author of Dispatches from the Discovery Trail, a compilation of his 33-episode Lewis & Clark series and regular CRR feature..

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Procrastinate now and your Estate will pay more later.

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Andre makes reference to the collapse of an ice dam in Montana during the last Ice Age. This sudden release of glacial waters from lake Missoula produced the scablands of Central Washington, helped carve the Columbia River Gorge, and flooded the Willamette Valley.

This violent history of the Earth was recently repeated by the terrible tragedy experienced in Nepal. It’s a reminder that conditions created by Mother Nature that we assume are stable...are not.

Among the many t alents of Andre — hiking, roses, music and woodworking — we must now add the art of “prediction” to his resume.

Jim Hennig Longview, Wash.

Civilized Living

by Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin

Insisting on helping in kitchen; family photo interlopers?

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My wife and

I occasionally get invited to friends’ homes for dinner. After dinner, the guests usually sit and continue to visit and have conversations.

Some clearing of the dinner dishes goes on, but cleaning up is not emphasized. The reason for clearing the plates is just to get them out of the way and off the table.

My wife, however, takes clearing the plates too far. She goes beyond the call of duty, in my opinion, and starts loading the dishwasher, putting the food away and wiping off the counters in our hosts’ house.

The hosts are usually with their guests when my wife is doing this.

If we are invited to someone’s house for dinner, is it appropriate as a guest to start cleaning up the kitchen after the meal?

It’s a nice gesture, but I don’t think it’s necessary.

When we host a dinner, I don’t want my guests to clean up my kitchen. In fact, I don’t even expect my wife to clean up after our guests have gone home. She’s already spent plenty of time getting the place ready before they arrived.

GENTLE READER: What your wife is doing is not a nice gesture. A nice gesture, and one that is only fair, is your insisting on doing the cleanup at home because your wife had done the preparation.

But for a guest to take over the housekeeping without authorization from the host is intrusive -- and almost insulting, as it implies that it was a necessary task that the host was neglecting. Plus, the guest is then neglecting their own duty of socializing.

Miss Manners would appreciate your explaining to your wife the difference

between offering to help -- and then taking directions from the host, including desisting when the offer is declined -- and attempting to run someone else’s household.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When one

person is already in a narrow hallway and another person comes down the stairs and tries to enter the hallway and pass by the person who was already there, what should happen?

GENTLE READER: Let’s go with what

shouldn’t happen: a collision, because neither of them has the courtesy to step to one side.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: New partners

should not be in the family pictures. If the relationships don’t last, it ruins the pictures. Believe me, I learned this the hard way.

I know, others may get divorced, etc., but I think the one-year rule is a good one.

GENTLE READER : Sure. But Miss

Manners thought the point of taking pictures was to get a time capsule from the moment.

What better way to do so than to remember Samson’s kooky girlfriend from college who was into competitive duck herding? What ever happened to her?

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have been with

my boyfriend for three years. We have agreed that when he graduates from college, we will get engaged, and then marry about a year later (or whenever it feels right).

He has also been taking care of me while I have been unemployed for the past year.

We’re both 28.

All through our relationship, my mother has said very hurtful things to me about our timeline, and also about my career. She can’t seem to get it out of her head that my life should go at the same pace hers did. She was married at 24 and right away bought a house and cars, and worked at the same company for 30 years.

She keeps insisting that my time to have children is almost over, and that he should have proposed to me a year ago.

She says that he doesn’t really love me if he doesn’t want to get married, and that she is embarrassed of me because I don’t have a job.

My usual reply is that God will give me children at any age if I am supposed to have them, and that if my boyfriend didn’t love me, he wouldn’t have been taking care of me for so long and planning his life with me.

I don’t know how else to respond to get her to stop saying these hurtful things to me.

“I’m happy” and “it’s out of my control” aren’t working. cont page 11

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 5

Looking UP SKY REPORT

By Greg Smith

Astronomy

Sept 12th – Oct 12th

The Evening Sky

A clear sky is needed.

The Summer Tr i a ngl e i s high overhead and heading to the southeastern sky.

A sure sign that autumn is on its way. Cygnus t he s w a n , Ve g a t h e harp, and Aquila the eagle, are the three constellations that make up the Summer Triangle.

MOON PHASES:

First Quarter: Fri., Sept. 18th Full: Sat., Sept., 26th Last Quarter: Sat., Oct. 3rd New Moon: Sat., Oct. 10th END OF TWILIGHT

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

Sat., Sept. 12th • 7:59pm Sat., Sep. 19th • 7:45pm Sat., Sept. 26th • 7:31pm Sat., Oct. 3rd • 7:15pm Sat., Oct. 10th • 7:04pm

Two new telescopes named after women

JUST BUILT: The Nancy Grace Roman and Vera Cooper Rubin Telescopes

T

he bus-sized Nancy Grace Roman space telescope will be located in the area of the James Webb Space Telescope a million miles from Earth in the L2 location. This is a gravitationally neutral area where the telescope can sit in that spot and orbit the sun, just like the James Webb telescope.

The Nancy G. Roman telescope has a much larger camera, with a viewing area 100 times larger than the Hubble telescope. This new telescope is named after the first Chief of Astronomy at NASA. Nancy Roman, also referred to as the “Mother of Hubble,” was the visionary behind getting Hubble designed and built, pushing Congress over many years to fund the project.

The mission of this new telescope is to survey the galaxy for dark matter and dark energy. It will also look for planets orbiting other stars. It is expected to find around 100,000 new exoplanets.

A different method of finding planets

SUNSET

The constellation Sat., Sept. 12th • 7:30pm Pe g a s u s h a s t h e Sat., Sept. 19th • 7:16pm shape of a large Sat., Sept. 26th • 7:03pm square which is the Sat., Oct. 3rd • 6:43pm main body of the Sat., Oct. 10th • 6:36pm horse and has two lines of stars that make up its hind legs. It is up by 8:15pm along with the Andromeda Galaxy M31. It lies just above the legs of Pegasus. The constellation Hercules the hero is high overhead with its two globular clusters of stars, M13 and M92 (which are visible in 10 x 50 binoculars). By 9:30pm Saturn has risen in the eastern sky.

The Morning Sky A cloudless eastern horizon sky is required.

In the hour or so (5am) before sunrise in the east, Mars and Jupiter are rising. Mars is higher in the eastern sky while Jupiter is just rising above the eastern horizon. The wellknown constellation of Orion is in the southeastern sky.

Be on the watch for a possible brightening of Betelgeuse as it is approaching its death. If it should blow up, it will be impossible to miss.

Night Sky Spectacle

A clear dark sky is a must.

In the southern sky is the area where the center of our galaxy resides. It is an area that contains many star clusters. Many of them are globular star clusters that look like fuzzy balls of stars. This area also contains nebulae that are areas of space dust that are forming new stars. The famous Eagle nebula is one of these nebulae. This is where the Hubble picture “Pillars of Creation” was taken in 1995. The pillars are columns of dust that hide newly-formed stars. Infrared light has revealed these new stars inside the columns of dust. (See subsequent Webb photo and note, page 3) ••• Longview resident Greg Smith is past president of Friends of Galileo. Meet him and other club members at monthly meetings in Longview. For more info about FOG, visit friendsofgalileo.com.

6 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

The Nancy G. Roman will use a micro-lensing method, which means as a star passes in front of another star. it temporarily brightens the light of the eclipsed star. The planet will add a bit of gravitational lensing brightness to the star and reveal its size and the location of its orbit around the star. It could even find Earth-sized planets in a star’s habitable zone.

Fruit of the Vine

ROLAND ON WINE Restoring wine’s place at the table

by Marc Roland

M

any wine professionals spend time asking why people are drinking less wine. Explanations include health concerns, cannabis, cocktails, high prices and changing tastes. All are legitimate. But I think wine has another problem. We have made it too much of an event and not enough part of everyday life.

For decades, wine moved upscale. Bottles became more expensive. Tasting rooms grew more elaborate. Tastings that once felt casual became seated, timed and costly. We taught people to study wine, collect it and save it for the right meal. In the process, we made wine impressive, but less approachable.

This is the wrong direction

Higher tasting fees may raise revenue per visitor, but they also narrow the doorway through which new customers enter.

The Vera C. Rubin telescope: An Earth-based telescope in the Andes Mountains of Chile

Most people do not wake up wanting a lesson in terroir or growing practices. They want a pleasant place, good food and a reason to spend time with others. Wine is at its best when it becomes part of that experience. A glass shared over local food, live music, a neighborhood gathering or an unhurried conversation may create more future wine drinkers than a lecture.

Vera Cooper Rubin was an astronomer who pioneered the discoveries about galactic rotation rates. She found that the stars in the outer rims of galaxies were moving faster than expected. That led to the discovery of Dark Matter and its gravitational effect on the speed of galaxy rotation.

Anything we can do to remove anxiety around wine will encourage experimentation.

Forward-looking wineries see declining consumption as an opportunity to offer something different. Perhaps it’s time to return to fewer, smaller pours, free or

The Nancy G. Roman telescope was launched on August 30th. The scope operation and first pictures should be here in late 2026 or first half of 2027.

All current space telescopes exist because of Nancy Roman’s vision of putting telescopes in space.

The mirror in this large telescope is more than 27 feet wide, making it the largest telescope built to date. It is designed to survey the southern visible sky every week, down to a much fainter level than that reached by existing telescopic sky surveys. It will catalog 90 percent of near-Earth objects larger than 140 meters and assess the threat they pose to life on Earth. Its first unofficial operation started in June 2026.

cont page 8 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.

These two telescopes will work together combining their capabilities in making major discoveries about the nature of our galaxy and Universe.

In its testing phase the Vera C. Rubin telescope has already made several major n e w d i s c ove r i e s , including 300 nearEar th asteroids.

The astronomy community is anticipating more new discoveries.

•••

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Taking Flight

FEATHERED FRIENDS

NOTES FROM MY LIVES

By Andre Stepankowsky

Migratory birds making

By Ann Kastberg travel plans?

A

crow calls out from the treetops.

I imagine a matriarch saying, “Fledglings, fall is coming. Time you strengthen your wings and learn our ways as crows.”

In our little five-acre forested patch of paradise outside of Castle Rock in the foothills of the Cascades, crows flit among the trees, chatting loudly. Is this a migratory group planning their trip, much like human snowbirds in September?

Our yard, a conversion from a working forest to residences, includes a “leave tree” patch. Over the 20-plus years we’ve lived here, we’ve come to appreciate, value and enjoy these unharvested, tall trees. From our living room window, we watch purple martins, crows and other birds gather in

the leave trees, teaching their young and possibly preparing for their southern journey.

Are our crows preparing for migration?

Maybe not. Crows are known to migrate from northern regions, especially in Canada, to southern regions. Many crows are residents simply moving between nearby nesting sites and wintering roosts.

Our Lower Columbia crows likely reside here.

The gathering of crows in our leave trees may be a Crow Class. Baby crows stay hidden 28 to 35 days. After such a long time in the nest, highly social, highly intelligent crows may very well gather to teach the youth and encourage juveniles to try their wings. Perhaps the call is saying. “Come along, my darlings. There’s still much to learn.” Perhaps it’s simply about learning how to be a crow.

•••

Ann Kastberg spent seven years with her husband, Russ, as RV hosts, volunteering primarily at wildlife refuges, where they learned a lot about critters, their habits and habitats. Ann serves on the Willapa Hills Audubon Society board; more information may be found at willapahillsaudubon.org.

Mount St. Helens Club

HIKES

sketch by the late Deena Martinson.

(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 (K) – Kayak (B) – Bicycle RT - round trip e.g. - elevation gain

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Sept 16 - Wed Three Corner Rock (M) Drive 124 miles RT. Hike 4.4 miles RT with 800’ e.g. on the PCT to site of an old lookout with extensive views of the Columbia Gorge and 5 snow capped volcanoes.

A fairly long drive but well worth it.

Leader: Bruce 360-425-0256 Sept 18 - Fri North Head Trail (M) Drive 140 miles RT. Hike 7.1 miles out and back. Stunning views and unique Sitka Spruce trees. Be aware there are some overgrown areas and limited trail marking. Wearing long pants is recommended. DISCOVER PASS REQUIRED FOR EACH VEHICLE. Leader: John M. 360-508-0878 Sept 19 - Sat Ocean Conservancy International Ocean Cleanup Great opportunity for our club to participate in a global, joint effort to clean up the earth’s ocean, beaches, and waterways! Visit oceanconservancy.org to learn more about this organization. Leader: Judy T. 406-371-6869

We are not robots

Sept 23 - Wed Oxbow Regional Park (M) Drive 123 miles RT. Hike 6.5 miles with 550’ e.g. through forest and along a sandy river on dirt trails. $5.00 VEHICLE FEE. Leaders: Julie L. 360-747-1415; Leslie P. 360-520-4592 Sept 26 - Sat Elk Bench Loop (M) Drive 110 miles RT. Hike 3.5 miles beginning along the north shore of Coldwater Lake before intersecting with the Elk Bench Trail. There is a 550’ e.g. up to the Mt. St. Helens Science and Learning Center with interesting exhibits about the volcano and clean restrooms. Return to the boat launch along the same route. Leader: Charles R. 360-751-0098 Sept 30 - Wed Seaquest Park (E) Drive 40 miles RT . Hike 4 miles with 300’ e.g. on the Silver Lake boardwalk and through Seaquest Park.

Leader: Barbara R. 360-431-1131 Oct 2 - Fri Indian Heaven (S) Drive 170 miles RT. Hike a 10 mile lollipop loop with 1500’ e.g. in the Indian Heaven Wilderness, passing several lakes. LIMIT 12 PARTICIPANTS. Leader: Harry A. 360-280-4184

cxont. page 32

Old-world elegance prompts heartwarming interchange

T

he other day I witnessed and enjoyed a slice of old world elegance — while waiting in line at Fibre Federal Credit Union.

Nearby, an employee was seated at a table helping a woman with her banking needs. The customer was likely in her 80s. She wore a finely woven, brimmed straw hat girdled by a red ribbon. Long, sparkling necklaces hung down across her summer dress, which was black and blotched with a printed gold pattern.

Her only concession to “modern casual” were the sandals visible at the hem of her dress.

Her appearance made me smile. I’m old enough to remember a time when decorum demanded more formal public attire. My mom made me wear dress slacks and a nice cardigan — even though it was July in New York —on my first visit to Yankee Stadium in 1964.

I still remember the light gasps of the audience when one man walked into Carnegie Hall in a DENIM!!! jacket.

One of the giveaways to the date of old urban scene photos is how often the women AND men are in hats. Unless you were a kid or a laborer on the job, you just didn’t appear in public unless you were properly dressed.

I wanted to thank the lady client at the credit union for her sartorial refinement, but I didn’t want to interrupt her. However, after making my deposit, she was still seated at the banker’s table. As I passed, I could not resist.

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“Pardon me for interrupting, but I just wanted to tell you how lovely and elegant you look,” I told her.

I especially complimented her straw hat and told her why her appearance had brought me a moment of joy.

Her bright eyes looked up at me.

“Thank you so much! she said.

“You know, I’m using all my good dishes and getting all these hats and dresses out of the closet and wearing them. What else am I going to do with them? My children don’t want them,” she said.

Our chat lasted just seconds. I didn’t want to intrude further on her business. But she and the banker still had smiles on their faces as I departed.

I did, too. She’d brought me a little bit of joy and old-world charm, and in so doing she shared a bit of herself, as our dress often does.

I hate that insurance company commercial where the dour, mustached social coach stifles his talkative clients and urges them to not be like their parents. My late mother, who was queen of grocery checkout chit-chat, would have been a case study for him.

But she’d always leave the clerk with a slight, if brief, smile on her face.

One of the downsides of the proliferation of self-checkout retailing is the further loss of human contact as we conduct daily life. Curmudgeons among us might rejoice, but we are not robots. Most of us enjoy, and benefit from, human contact, even if it is fleeting and unexpected. A kind word is a joy to both giver and receiver.

I wish I’d had more time to speak with the lady in the credit union. But I hope she left our brief meeting with a bit of extra warmth in her heart — as I did.

••• Awa rd - w i n n i n g j o u r n a l i s t 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.

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 7

Roland on Wine

from page 7

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Sellers have grown complacent, assuming visitors will pay high prices for mediocre experiences. And are we tired of charcuterie yet? How often do people eat it at home? Let’s develop tasting menus that are inventive and reflect how younger customers actually eat.

Let’s make room for curiosity without demanding expertise. Price a few glasses and bottles so experimentation feels inviting rather than risky.

The tasting room cannot simply be a retail counter surrounded by attractive scenery.

It must become a restaurant, music room, neighborhood gathering spot or cultural venue. Wine remains central, but it does not have to carry the entire experience.

Wine is competing not only with beer, spirits and cannabis. It is competing with staying home. Instead of asking how to persuade people to drink more wine, we should ask what kind of life people want and where wine naturally belongs in it.

The future may depend less on defending wine’s prestige than on restoring its place at the table.

•••

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Lewis & Clark

DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL EPISODE 29

What Happened to Sacajawea?

By Michael O. Perry

W

hen the Lewis and Clark Expedition returned to the Mandan villages in 1806, Toussaint Charbonneau (Sacajawea’s husband) was given a voucher for $500.33 for his services, but Sacajawea received nothing. In a letter to Charbonneau, Clark wrote, “Your woman who accompanied you that long dangerous and fatiguing rout to the Pacific Ocean and back diserved a greater reward for her attention and services on the rout than we had the power to give her at the Mandans.”

Pomp as his “own child” as he had promised. Instead, he put Pomp in a boarding house and paid for his schooling.

Will the “real” Sacajawea please stand up?

On December 20, 1812, “Lewis and Clark Reach the Shoshone Camp Led by Sacajawea” by Charles M. Russell John Luttig, the clerk at Fort Manuel, a trading post on the legal papers? Some people Who was this “Tousant?” Most on the upper Missouri in present-day believe Charbonneau’s other Shoshone people believe this was an error, and South Dakota, included a terse obituary wife (Otter Woman) gave birth to a the records actually refer to seven-year in his daily log: “This evening the wife son in 1803, three years before Pomp old Pomp (“Jean Baptiste”). Why of Charbonneau, a Snake squaw, died was born. Thus, it is uncertain which would a judge have allowed Luttig of a putrid fever. She was a good and the Shoshone wife Luttig’s obituary pertains to become legal guardian for Pomp? best woman in the Fort. Aged about 25 to. Charbonneau may have abandoned Pomp had been under Captain years. She left a fine infant girl.” Even Sacajawea after returning to the Mandan Clark’s care for two years, attending a though her actual name does not appear villages from their 1811 visit to St. Louis private school, but Clark was away on in the record, many people believe it when Pomp was left with Clark. Perhaps business at the time. And why do the was Sacajawea who had died about four he took Otter Woman and her son to records show the boy was ten years old months after giving birth to a daughter.

Fort Manuel. when Pomp was only seven? In any Was this really Sacajawea? Probably. case, Luttig’s name was later crossed William Clark’s cashbook for 1825-1828 Sacajawea would have been about out in the court records and the name showed the status of all the Expedition 24 years old in 1812. Toussaint of William Clark substituted. members and states “Se car ja we au Charbonneau had gone to Fort Manuel Dead.” However, since that same So, who was the ten-year-old in 1811 shortly after leaving his son, cashbook erroneously lists Sergeant “Tousant Charbonneau” shown 5-year old Pomp (Jean Baptiste), with cont page 10 Captain Clark in St. Louis. Believing Charbonneau to be dead, Luttig took Charbonneau’s daughter to St. Louis Five years ago, we introduced a revised version of Michael Perry’s in 1813, where the Orphan’s Court popular series which had begun with CRR’s April 15, 2004 inaugural made Luttig legal guardian of two issue and was reprised three times and then expanded In the book, Charbonneau children (one-year-old Dispatches from the Discovery Trail, edited by Hal Calbom and “Lisette” and ten-year-old “Tousant”).

Clark offered to take Pomp back to St. Louis where he would educate “and raise him as my own child.” Sacajawea and Charbonneau agreed to let Clark raise their 18-month old son, but felt it was too soon to do so. In a letter, Clark wrote, “Charbono, if you wish to live with the white people, and will come to me, I will give you a piece of land and furnish you with horses, cows, & hogs.”

Three years later, Charbonneau, Sacajawea, and Pomp traveled to St. Louis to cash his voucher. Charbonneau was given 320 acres of land, but after a year he decided he was not meant to be a farmer and sold the land back to Clark for $100. He left 5-year old Pomp in the care of Clark in 1811 and took Sacajawea back up the Missouri River.

However, since Clark had married two years earlier, he did not actually raise

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Lewis & Clark from page 9

Within months of birth, Jean Baptiste began his odyssey, bundled and strapped to his mother’s back. Accounts indicate that he was a happy and healthy baby, well protected and treated as very special by the expedition members. Captain Clark took an immediate liking to the toddler and nicknamed him “Pomp” or “Pompy” (spellings differ).

Patrick Gass as being dead (he lived to be 99-years old, dying in 1870), some people think Clark could have been wrong in listing Sacajawea as being dead.

In 1884, on the Wind River Indian Reservation in present-day Wyoming, a Shoshone woman named Porivo, said to be about 100 years old, was laid to rest.

Sacajawea would have been about 96 years old in 1884. The burial records said Porivo was “Bazil’s mother (Shoshone).”

When the Lewis and Clark expedition reunited Sacajawea with her Shoshone Indian tribe at Three Forks in 1805, she learned most of her family was dead, so she immediately adopted the young son of her dead sister. Could this be “Bazil”?

Bazil was living with his mother when she died. For years, this woman had told people she had been with Lewis and Clark on the expedition to the Pacific Ocean and that her son Baptiste was a little papoose whom she carried on her back from the Mandan villages across the shining mountains to the great lake.

It seems odd an Indian woman living in Wyoming could have known so much about the woman who accompanied the Corps of Discovery 80 years earlier. One has to wonder if she might indeed have been the real Sacajawea!

By the time the expedition eventually reached the Pacific Ocean and returned to North Dakota, Pomp was nearly two years old and had ridden over 5,000 miles, enduring along the way hardships unimaginable by today’s standards.

Clark’s affection for the boy was, perhaps, best measured when the expedition reached a prominent sandstone butte on the Yellowstone River that Clark named Pompy’s Tower (now called Pompey’s Pillar). Pompey’s Pillar remains today the only existing evidence of the Corps of Discovery along the trail; Captain Clark carved his name and date — Jul 25, 1806 — into the body of the rock.

Statues of Sacajawea with her 9-month old son “Pomp” on her back and Captain Lewis’s Newfoundland dog, Seaman, were created by Heather Soderberg in 2011, located at Cascade Lock’s Marine Park.

Pomp’s Circumstances

By Gary Meyers

Mention “Sacajawea,” and most folks associate the name either with the Shoshone Indian woman who accompanied the Lewis and Clark Expedition, or the U.S. dollar first minted in 2000. Longview, Washington residents will also associate the name with their beautiful lake in the center of town.

While Sacajawea is known to generations of students and history buffs, oddly, few remember her son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. His remarkable beginning with the Corps of Discovery, combined with his later experiences as a trader, guide, interpreter, miner, adventurer and world traveler remain an extraordinary story, even today.

Jean Baptiste was born at Fort Mandan (North Dakota) on February 11, 1805. His father was a French-Canadian fur trader, Toussaint Charbonneau, who had joined the expedition as guide and interpreter.

Following the Corps of Discovery, Captain Clark provided Pomp with what has been described as, “the best education that money could buy.” At age 16, with his education completed, Pomp struck out on his own as a fur trader. He made a chance acquaintance that would have a profound effect on his future.

Prince Paul Wilhelm was a German noble who was visiting the United States on a nature study. He and Pomp immediately became friends, and Pomp accepted Prince Wilhelm’s invitation to accompany him back to Germany.

As a guest of the prince, Pomp traveled throughout Europe and North Africa, meeting royalty, enjoying the perks and privileges of the aristocratic class and also finding the time to learn several languages. After six years, however, he had tired of the rarified life of royalty and returned to his roots on the Great Plains.

For the next 15 years, Pomp roamed the west, living off the land as a “mountain man.” He hunted. He trapped.

He served as a guide for groups moving west. He did a short stint in the Army leading a Mormon battalion from Sante Fe to San Diego. He served briefly as the Alcalde (mayoral or magistrate status) of Mission San Luis Rey in Southern California. cont page 11

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10 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

GLIMPSES

Lewis & Clark

OF HISTORY

from page 10

When gold was discovered at Sutter’s Fort, California, in 1849, the fever swept up Pomp and he headed north to seek his fortune. The fortune never materialized and little is known of Pomp’s activities for several years thereafter.

In 1861, he re-surfaced as a clerk in the Orleans Hotel in Auburn, California. When news of another gold strike in Montana reached Auburn, Pomp grabbed his bags and headed toward the El Dorado that had eluded him earlier.

Sadly, his hope was not fulfilled.

Pomp contracted pneumonia and died at Inskip Station, near Danner in Southeast Oregon on May 16, 1866, at age 61. He was buried there.

Note about the author: As a child, Gary Meyers lived in Ponca, Nebraska, where his curiosity about Lewis and Clark was piqued by three nearby sites mentioned in the journals. He later lived in Longview, Washington, and years later, upon reading Michael Perry’s column, “Dispatch from the Discovery Trail,” wrote this piece on Pomp for Columbia River Reader.

Meyers’s contribution has become a regular component of the series.

Gary died in 2023, and is fondly remembered as founder of CRR’s annual HaikuFest.

Fort Columbia tunnel for US-101 originally built to meet ferries

O

ne popular way to reach Long Beach is via the Astoria-Megler Bridge, a former toll bridge built over the Columbia River during the late 1960s.

US 101 heads west from it, passing through Chinook and Ilwaco. But first, drivers head into a very old tunnel beneath Fort Columbia. I remember as a Longview kid “going to the beach” also meant begging Dad to honk the horn mid-way through the tunnel – a “kid in the back seat” tradition still heard today.

That tunnel was built prior to the automobile to serve the Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company, a narrowgauge railroad that operated between 1888 and 1930. It originally hauled massive loads of oysters, timber, and cranberries over the 15 miles between Nahcotta and Ilwaco.

The connection with oysters and Ilwaco’s shallow tidewaters led to various nicknames: the “Clamshell Railroad,” the “Irregular, Rambling, and Never-GetThere Railroad,” and the “Railroad That Ran with the Tides.”

Miss Manners

from page 5

GENTLE READER: We need a new

tactic. Your being happy is subjective, and it being out of your control is not entirely true -- in your mother’s mind, at least.

•••

The next episode will examine what happened to Capt. Meriwether Lewis.

By Dennis Weber

To be clear, Miss Manners does not defend your mother berating you and your boyfriend. It is unkind and unfair. But pleading with her for a different response is proving ineffective.

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But major changes came around the turn of the century, once Oregon railroads began bringing weekend tourists to Astoria from Portland.

In order to tap into that market for hoteliers in Seaview, Long Beach, Ocean Park, and Nahcotta, the IR&N needed a more dependable docking facility.

By 1908, local investors sold out to a Union Pacific subsidiary who extended tracks from Ilwaco upriver to Megler.

That required blasting the tunnel through Scarborough Head, the hill upon which Fort Columbia rests.

Their ultimate goal -- to continue the tracks all along the Columbia River’s northern shore -- failed.

By 1930, highway improvements meant that tourists and businesses could use ferries and drive their own vehicles to cross the Columbia, and the Clamshell Railroad closed. Later that decade Washington State acquired the abandoned tunnel; paving, widening, and lighting it to become a key link for US 101 -- and every kid’s delight!

Perhaps you can take a stronger approach: “I’m sorry you don’t like it, but this is what works for us.” And then change the subject.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am in the

process of throwing a surprise 25th wedding anniversary party for some very dear friends who are special to many -- and I mean MANY -- people.

The couple have done so much for everyone whose lives they have touched -- from working with kindergartners through fifthgrade kids at church every Sunday to taking on a parental role in three girls’ lives after their mother passed. There are too many other examples to mention. They are truly a blessing to everyone.

Of course after being married for 25 years, they have everything and anything that they need. When I send out the invites to approximately 50 people, how do I ask them to give money to the couple instead of physical gifts?

I know that the husband would like to take his wife on a New England vacation, and I know he will do so with or without our help. But if we can give them some money as a gift, they can have an even bigger and better vacation.

For more information, be on the lookout for preser ved depots, including a great Seaview restaurant, with a driving tour pamphlet from the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum, 115 Lake Street SE, Ilwaco, Wash.

Phone: 360-624-3446. It’s open Wed. through Sat. from 10am–4pm. Check out its model train exhibit, too.

•••

Clamshell Railroad Route Wikipedia

Dennis Weber, a 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.

I was told that it isn’t proper to ask for money, but I feel that if I ask in a loving way and explain why I am asking, it would be OK. So how would you do it, Miss Manners?

GENTLE READER: By hosting a

party on your friends’ behalf -- and without their knowledge -- you are representing them to their guests.

And it is Miss Manners’ guess that the risk of embarrassing these dear friends by asking their intimates to pay for a better vacation is too great to be worth it.

Let the fact that you are surprising them with 50 people on their anniversary be enough of a gamble.

Your present can be that they will have plenty to talk about on their trip. .••• 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.

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 11

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

Bethany Pithan becomes new Marketing Director at Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts In August, Bethany Pithan joined the Columbia Theatre team as its new Marketing Director. Her story with the theatre began at age 16, when she performed and stage-managed at the Columbia. She later returned through AmeriCorps, supporting youth theatre and arts education programs.

Pithan has a degree in theatre and more than 12 years of local arts leadership experience, including her time as Artistic Bethany Pithan Director at Stageworks Northwest. She also brings experience in social media, content creation, and marketing for local small businesses. Returning to the Columbia in this new role is a full-circle moment, bringing together her love of theatre, community and storytelling.

12 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

Dr. Nau gives $3 million to mentorship program

Co C Cowlitz ow wl li it tz z C C Civil iiv vi il l D D Dialogue iia al lo og gu ue e P P PROJECT RO R OJ JE EC CT T P P Presents: re r es se en nt ts s::

Longview physician Dr. Richard Nau

Those experiences shaped his belief that opportunity can open doors, but PeaceHealth St. John Mentorship success comes from what someone does P ro g r a m E n d o w m e n t , crea ting with it — a philosophy he sees reflected permanent funding to help in the Mentorship Program. local high school students “I was fortunate to have discover careers in healthcare. opportunities that helped me through meaningful work continue my education, but I experience, professional also had to work hard to make mentorship and financial the most of them,” Dr. Nau support for higher education. said. “I believe success gives us the opportunity to do good For nearly 30 years, the for others. These students are program relied on annual working toward their own funding. Dr. Nau’s endowed Dr. Richard Nau success, and I’m pleased to gift creates long-term stability, open a door for them along the way.” allowing PeaceHealth to confidently invest in the program’s future.

••• Dr. Nau’s own path was shaped by Photo and story courtesy of The Caregiver both hard work and opportunity. After News and Notes, a PeaceHealth losing his mother at age 2, he grew up publication. in a working-class family and earned a scholarship after excelling during his first year of college. He worked International Paper released a throughout college and medical school statement announcing the June 4, and served in the Army during his final 2026 completion of its acquisition of year of medical school.

North Pacific Paper Company has committed $3 million to the

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CRR Food Classics

Smell something

wonderful?

While you were out, your crock-pot

cooked dinner

This column is adapted from one by Suzanne Martinson, who wrote for CRR under the column name “Cooking with the Farmer’s Daughter,” for several years while living in Lexington (suburb of Kelso), Wash. She passed away in Michigan earlier this year. We fondly remember her and her love of sharing food and the associated conviviality.

J

ust for fun, drag out that crock-pot and celebrate the approach of fall with something special. Oh, and so easy.

TIPS FOR CROCK-POT COOKING

•A crock pot recipe often requires added liquid because it requires steam to cook the foods.

•It’s best not to lift the lid while the food cooks, because it lowers the temperature.

That’s why many crock-pots have seethrough covers for perennial “peekers.”

•Thaw frozen meat before placing in crock-pot.

•When cooking meat, many recipes suggest starting the cooking on High for an hour, so that the crock-pot heats up quickly, then turning to Low to finish.

This shortens the time that the meat will be in the “danger zone,” which is from 40 degrees to 140 degrees.

Dinner in a Crock Pot

This pot roast has a delicious, earthy mixture of flavors from the vegetables and the meat. The enriched beef stock can be made into a hearty gravy after the entree is cooked.

3 or 4 potatoes, peeled and cut up 3 carrots, peeled and sliced ½ large white onion, peeled and sliced 3-pound beef rump roast, boneless Kosher salt and pepper, to taste A few shakes of parsley, freeze-dried or fresh, optional About 2 ½ cups beef stock Coat inside of crock pot with vegetable spray, which makes cleaning easier.

Layer vegetables in bottom of pot. Place meat atop vegetables.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shake on parsley. Pour beef stock over everything.

Cover.

Set crock pot on High and cook for 1 hour, or until steam forms on lid.

Reduce heat to Low and cook 6 to 8 hours.

These crispy popovers with the soft innards are a good foil for the pot roast. They are also a good match, because the oven is free for use while the entree is cooking in the crock-pot.

Popovers

1 cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 2 eggs Heat oven to 425 degrees. Measure f lour by dip-levelpour method. Beat ingredients together with rotary beater just until smooth.

Overbeating will reduce volume. Pour into well-greased deep muffin cups (¾ full).

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. If not baked long enough, they will collapse. With a sharp paring knife, cut a small slit in the top of each to allow steam to escape.

Serve at once. Makes 5 to 9 popovers.

(My heavy-duty dark pans manufactured just for popovers make 6; because of their dark surface, the popovers bake in less than 40 minutes.)

Crock-Potted Berry Cobbler

1 pkg (15-oz or so) frozen strawberries, raspberries or blueberries (or a combination) 1 two-layer yellow or white cake mix 1 stick (½ cup) butter Whipped cream Coat inside of crock-pot with vegetable spray. Pour frozen berries and/or fruit such as peaches into pot. Sprinkle with dry cake mix. Drizzle with melted butter.

Do not stir. Cover. Cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours. Leave the top off for the last 30 minutes to make the topping crisper.

•••

THE CROCK-POT’S ORIGINS It may not be as common as a paring knife, but the crock-pot could be the poster child for ubiquitous.

I’m betting you’ve got one somewhere, or know someone who does.

Crock-pot inventor Irving Naxon saw a need and supplied it — a heating element that surrounded the pot in the same way an oven would. The original Naxon Beanery possessed a name close to my heart, given our Michigan farm’s acres of navy beans. His daughter, Lenore Naxon, remembered using one at home during the 1950s and 1960s. The inventor retired in 1971 and sold his business to Rival Manufacturing, which streamlined the design and renamed it the Crock-Pot.

SCHOOL HAS STARTED. OPT YO UR OPTIONS YOUR O PTIIONS ONS HAVEN’T ENDED. ENROLL NOW Contact us! www.3riversschool.net Academically Excellent

14 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

Culturally Relevant

@threeriverschristianschool Joyfully Christian

MUSEUM MAGIC

A Westport Getaway

By Joseph Govednik, Director, Cowlitz County Historical Museum

A

s summer is waning, it’s still not too late to enjoy a visit to the coast. My family took a short trip to Westport to experience a local getaway, do some beachcombing, and do a little souvenir hunting. The trip would not be complete without getting a flavor of local history through the Westport South Beach Historical Society, which operates a maritime museum housed in a historic U.S. Coast Guard station, and the Grays Harbor Lighthouse.

A large Fresnel lens is housed in a dedicated building, Destruction Island Lens Hall, where it rotates with its light on—a perfect companion exhibit to see after visiting the lighthouse. Inside the main exhibits at the old USCG Station, a plethora of maritime topics are explored, including the U.S. Coast Guard, its history, and rescue operations. Exhibits also cover shipwrecks and flotsam that washes up along the coast.

We first visited the lighthouse, which was completed in 1898 and, at 107 feet tall, is the tallest lighthouse in Washington State.

We walked the 135 steps to the lantern room, where a docent was available to answer questions and explain lighthouse operations. At the top is a clamshellshaped Fresnel lens, which visitors can view up close.

We then ventured to the Westport Maritime Museum. If you present your receipt from either the lighthouse or the museum, the other offers a $1 discount on admission. The retired Coast Guard station was built in 1940 and repurposed for historical interpretation by the Society in 1985. A wide range of exhibits include natural history and historical collections.

In exterior buildings, there are extensive marine mammal skeletons on display, including whales.

Grays • River Chinook

101

101

Seaside

Pacific Ocean

Cathlamet 4

Longview

Clatskanie

Birkenfeld

Vernonia

Oregon

Ape Cave •

Kelso

Rainier

Woodland

Columbia City

• 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

Goldendale

• Ridgefield

Scappoose•

To: Salem Silverton Eugene Ashland

503

•Yacolt

St Helens

NW lius Corne oad Pass R

Cougar •

Kalama

VISITOR CENTERS

FREE Maps • Brochures Directions • Information

Mount St. Helens

Skamokawa

WestportPuget Island FERRYk

Warrenton • Astoria

504

Castle Rock

• Naselle

Long Beach Ilwaco

Columbia River

Washington

Vader

Ocean Park •

The Museum and Lighthouse are open Thurs through Sunday, 11am– 3pm, through Oct. 31. For more information or to confirm hours beyond Oct. 31, please visit www. wsbhs.org.

•••

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

Raymond/ South Bend

Oysterville •

This museum offers an ideal mix of maritime, military, marine natural history, and local Westport history. A visit to Westport is not complete without visiting the lighthouse and maritime museum. And don’t forget: come visit during the winter, when beachcombing is at its best!

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.

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 15

ME AND MY

PIANO* *or other instrument

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.

Meet the Director • Join the Cast! Mar. 8, 6pm The Moose Lodge • 921 Washington Way, Longview

Come be in the show!

Have the Best Time of Your Life!

Questions? email: cabaretfollieslc@gmail.com

PROCEEDS BENEFIT Longview residents Marc and Patti Conley enjoy making music together.

Korten’s store slogan was right:

By Patti Conley Music brings happiness!

I

love to sing. I sang in choir at Huntington Junior High and Kelso High. My parents bought me a guitar at Korten’s in Longview when I went to college.

To accompany myself, I learned to strum and pick songs by artists like Joan Baez, Simon and Garfunkel and Judy Collins for a year or two.

YOUTH & FAMILY LINK

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

PERFORMANCES • April 2-3, 2027

AND LOWER COLUMBIA SCHOOL GARDENS

Columbia Theatre, Longview

The Evans Kelly Family

One of Longview’s pioneer families.

Proud Sponsor of People+Place

Then it went into the closet. Like many people, I wish I had kept it up. I had a few opportunities to sing in choirs over the years. But it wasn’t until I retired at 62 that I decided to pick up my guitar, which I still have, and play again.

At that time my husband, Marc, and I had been partner dancing for 15 years, which continues to be another passion of ours. He got interested in my guitar and wanted to play it. I told him he needed to get his own guitar. So he got a bass.

We’ve been playing music together ever since, starting out in our living room.

Over the years, we’ve been learning and getting better and have had occasions to play for some social events. We bravely play at open mics and jams and are in a couple of casual bands.

Locally, we’ve gone to the Cowlitz Valley Old Time Music Association open mic several times. They are on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays from 6 – 8pm at the Catlin Grange in Kelso. And everyone is welcome. We also went to Maria’s in Cathlamet, which has an open mic some Fridays.

It’s been a great retirement hobby and we’ve had so much fun! It’s never too late to learn something new. For 14 years now, we’ve continued to learn, which is so good for us. It’s such a great activity for us to share together. And getting to know and play with other musicians has enriched our social life. We really appreciate live music.

The only drawback for us is we can’t dance and play music at the same time!

Our world is full of ART! “The Delta Queen”

•••

24 x 36 inches acrylic paint on canvas

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

by Joe Fischer

16 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

JOE FISCHER Proud Sponsor of People+Place

A monthly feature written and photographed

People + Place Photos and story

by Hal Calbom

by Southwest Washington native and Emmy Award-winning journalist

Hal Calbom

Production Notes

Magnificent Men and their Many Machines

people+ place The Gist of Grist

Postcard-perfect: Cedar Creek Mill

Jeffrey Berry

Our visit to Cedar Creek Grist Mill both defied and exceeded expectations.

Due to low water levels and the peculiarities of the grinding process itself, the massive stone-on-stone apparatus I’d expected was nowhere in sight.

On the other hand, the setting — from the brilliant still life that is the mill and its covered bridge, to the shadowy interior pierced by sunbeams as if by spotlights — takes your breath away.

The mill is more working museum than manufacturer, but not just a collection of old machines and spare parts, either.

Cedar Creek is a shrine to ingenuity, imagination and tinkering, and to an age when inventors came from every walk of life, including statesmen from Franklin to Washington and Jefferson.

At human scale, machinery could make huge differences in the leverage we could bring to bear and the forces with which we shaped our environment.

The pioneers weren’t just survivalists. They were problem-solvers and opportunitygraspers. And clever, as well.

Long before “industrial scale” locomotives and dams and great buzzing nests of looms and presses, there were these smallerscale devices and machines. They cut our labor and increased our output — ginning cotton, spinning wool, weaving fabric and, of course, grinding grain.

What strikes you at Cedar Creek is the way we humans can amplify our own effort with such imaginative combinations of physics, common sense, and invention.

Pulleys and flywheels and augurs lift, dump, and sort grain. Turbines embedded in shafts two floors below power the place.

Belts and straps and tethers and cinches hold it all together.

One visitor we met said he wished he could spend the entire day here just learning how it all worked.

The gist of this story — or the grist, if you will — resides in these humble roots which fostered the mighty Industrial Revolution.

•••

O

n the pristine meadow at the end of the shadow-dappled winding road, above the covered bridge and Cedar Creek itself, pioneer families in the late 1800s camped for days at a time, awaiting their turn of the wheel.

Cedar Creek Grist Mill was, and remains, a community hub, once insuring the survival of those whose daily bread depended, literally, on the wheat and corn they grew themselves. Today it draws visitors from afar, amateur historians, and the host of volunteers who support the place.

“They’d stay over even after their grinding was done,” said caretaker Jeffrey Berry, “put the kids to bed up in the grain loft and dance all night!”

Berry, who claims he’s “not a people person,” welcomes visitors with open arms who come, “with a love of nature and the outdoors, an appreciation of history and the company of good friends and family.

We can all get along doing that.”

cont page 18

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 17

People + Place from page 17

For a professed misanthrope, Jeffrey Berry is a remarkably pleasant and informative host.

“We started restoring this place in 1980,” he tells one of the several groups of visitors who joined our conversation. “The typical Saturday was like 8 to 20 guys working on this place.

And four or five little old ladies had tables out in front, with pictures, telling visitors about it.”

What feels remarkable about this picturesque old mill, besides its slice-of-Americana good looks, is that it’s still doing what it’s always done: drawing people together.

“It shut down as a flour mill around 1906,” said Berry, “was a machine shop from around 1908 to 1953. Work done here helped build Merwin Dam. And then it sat empty from 1953 to 1980.”

In 1980, a group stating, “We don’t want to see it fall into the Creek,” started restoring Cedar Creek Grist Mill.

“We ended up milling flour on November 11, 1989,” he said with pride. “That was our goal date, and we made it.”

PUT THE KIDS TO BED UP IN THE GRAIN LOFT AND DANCE ALL NIGHT!

And, as testimony to their resolve and effort, it was Washington State’s Centennial date, to boot.

Caretaker Jeffrey Berry welcomes visitors

People and Process Inside the mill building shafts of sunlight illuminate a collection of machinery and intriguing component parts. The ef fect is as much as museum as factory. Cedar Creek has enjoyed a place of honor on the National Register of Historic Places for more than 50 years.

“The sad truth is, this place really wasn’t very successful,” said Berry. “Built too late in the game. By 1876 the transcontinental railroads were pushing through and the big mills back east were supplying towns up and down those routes.”

Mills like Cedar Creek began to grow obsolete, though still serving rural families and local farmers.

For certain, Berry doesn’t think modern industrial methods have improved the product. Quality and taste have given way to standardization and shelf life.

Top photo: Vancouver, Wash. residents Paul and Tracey Casey; above: Lori Quillen of Longview, Wash., visiting the mill on an outing with her grandchildren from Winlock, Wash., left to right: Bryar, Ruby, Hazel, and Nori.

Energy Efficiency Tips

DURING EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES, CHECK TO SEE IF YOU HEAT PUMP HAS SWITCHED OVER TO EMERGENCY OR AUXILIARY STRIP HEAT. ONLY COLD CLIMATE HEAT PUMPS CAN OPERATE IN EXTREMELY COLD WINTER TEMPERATURES AND KEEP YOU ELECTRIC BILLS LOW. Proud Sponsor of

People+Place 18 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

Proud Sponsor of

People+Place

People + Place

IF YOU GO

Cedar Creek Grist Mill 43907 NE Grist Mill Rd., Woodland, Wash.

Info: cedarcreekgristmill.org • Phone 360-225-5832 Grounds include picnic tables and trails; closed after dark.

Driving Directions: From I-5 heading North: Take Woodland Exit #21 and turn right. Immediately turn right on CC Street to cross North Fork of Lewis River.

From I-5 heading South: Take Woodland Exit #21 and continue to traffic light. Turn left, continue under freeway and immediately turn right on CC Street to cross north Fork of Lewis River.

Then...Once across River, turn onto NW Hayes Road toward Amboy, which becomes Cedar Creek Rd. About 8 miles from Woodland, a sign points left to the mill. Turn left onto Grist Mill Road and the mill is about 3/4-mile farther.

Free special events: On the last Saturday of the month, May thru Sept, 1-4pm. Apple cider pressing in October begins at 9am and goes “until we are done.” Bring your instrument if you’d like to join the bluegrass jam on the back deck.

CORNBREAD DAY September 26, 1–4pm

From the bakers: You think you know cornbread? Today you’ll see cornbread made with fruit jam, hot peppers, bacon, cheese, herbs, and you choose the best. Starts at 1pm.

“What you buy in the store does not have the bran and the germ in it. You hear the term, “enriched flour.” To me, that sounds like they think it’s better than God made it.” he said.

APPLE CIDER PRESSING October 31, 9am until done!

From the pressers: Step back in history while we press around 10,000 pounds of apples into the best drink on planet Earth. We’ll put your kiddos to work on hand cranked presses. Play an instrument? Come join the Bluegrass Jam on the back deck.

“Out of the top 23 vitamins and nutrients they remove, they put two of them back in. It may be enriched in those two areas but the rest is lost.”

IT’S STILL DOING WHAT IT’S ALWAYS DONE: DRAWING PEOPLE TOGETHER Due to seasonally-low water levels the demonstration mill can grind only from late October through late June. Cedar Crek maintains public interest and support with a host of especial events, including the upcoming Cornbread Day and Apple Cider Pressing (see sidebar at right).

Grist for the Spirit It’s no exaggeration to suggest the site has a kind of soulful dimension to it, grinding down cares and nurturing the spirit.

“Have you walked outside?” Berry inquired with his kind of beatific bluntness. “It’s peaceful. I heard one of our visitors saying that all this fresh water puts positive ions in the air, and helps you relax. I believe it. I feel good here.” cont page 20

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.

George and Holly Roe A Park Family Company A Longview Pioneer Family Proud Sponsor of

People+Place

We thank The Boeing Company for matching its retirees’ gifts.

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

People + Place The grandmother and grandkids gathering autumn leaves.

The retired engineer from Florida discovering a machine that rolls oats.

The Hispanic couple exploring a culture a million miles from their own roots.

And for Jeffrey Berry — who first visited the mill as a 7-year-old and many times over the years since, smitten by the place virtually his entire life — there’s the parable of the payment for all this: What’s in it for me?

“Nobody had any money. Families would bring in a five gallon bucket of wheat, a couple of times a year, to mill up,” he said. The miller, if given a five-gallon bucket of wheat, can make six and a half to seven gallons of flour.

It fluffs up.

from page 19 Today’s volunteer bakers and cider pressers are experiencing something more than nostalgia. They’re maintaining the very texture and even taste and aroma of pioneer life.

Now, traditionally, that miller would give you your five gallon bucket back full of flour and the overage would be his portion. He’d keep that as his payment.’

THE SITE HAS A KIND OF SOULFUL DIMENSION TO IT, GRINDING DOWN CARES AND NURTURING THE SPIRIT

That way the whole thing keeps working.”

•••

The volunteers — the carpenters and roofers and plumbers ­— who’ve labored for 45 years refurbishing the place are more than hobbyists or remodelers.

They celebrate, and even marvel at, the old techniques, the ingeniousness of pioneers doing so much with so little, of the power of humans to shape their environment without desecrating its heart and soul.

And for us, the visitors, Cedar Creek of fers a showcase adaptable to our own interests and avocations.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Yacolt, Wash. resident Alfonso Ramirez visits with caretaker Jeffrey Berry, a Grist Mill volunteer for 24 years before becoming the living-on-site caretaker two years ago

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.

The Cedar Creek Grist Mill seeks friendly volunteers to keep this working museum staffed... apprentice millers, tour guides and generally

helpful hands for weekend shifts, special events, and maintenance/restoration. Volunteers welcome visitors from around the world as they work the mill and answer questions about this national historic landmark. Interested? Please email tours@cedarcreekgristmill.org

”FCA has given me a place of community where I can share my story with other athletes who are going through the same challenging experience as I am. It has helped me find my identity as a person rooted in my faith, not just in my sport. In growing my connection with FCA, I have grown my connection with Christ through my play. Now when I step onto the court I can shine the light of the Lord, the same as I can off the court.”

people+ place We appreciate our sponsors:

Chesney Schultz

Lower Columbia College Athlete Weatherguard supports the FCA vision: To see the

world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.

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

360-577-7200 Proud Sponsor of People+Place

20 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

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.

OUT • AND • ABOUT

Memories of maps and back roads

By Michael O. Perry

44th Northwest Garlic Festival returns to Ocean Park Sept. 19-20

I

liked Hal Calbom’s wonderful article about the “Blue Highways” in northwest Oregon… it brought back some really good memories.

Story and photos submitted by Ccean Park Area Chamber of Commerce.

T

he 44th NW Garlic Festival is returning to Sheldon Park for a fun-filled weekend celebrating garlic, community, creativity, music and plenty of family-friendly entertainment!

This free, two-day festival will feature more than 60 vendors offering handcrafted goods, delicious food and beverages, unique gifts, artisan creations and much more. With something for every age, the NW Garlic Festival is a favorite annual destination for locals and visitors alike.

Two Days of Garlic-Filled Fun

Sheldon Park, located across from Ocean Park Elementary School at 25701 Ocean Beach Hwy (Vernon), provides plenty of space to explore, shop, eat and enjoy the festivities.

Saturday will feature a full lineup • Pirate Costume Contest of live music, while Sunday • Kids’ crafts and maker stations brings back some favorite Garlic • Bouncy house and kid-focused activities Festival traditions, including • More than 65 vendors to explore contests and activities sure to Prizes and awards will be presented entertain the crowd: throughout the weekend, and many of • Garlic Eating Contest the contests are returning favorites from • Garlic Shucking Contest past Garlic Festivals.

NEW STORE

NOW OPEN!!

OPEN

STYLISH • SPACIOUS GROCERIES • HOT DELI FRESH MEATS & PRODUCE

Gas & diesel pumps for 24-hour fueling 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

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

360-274-8920

“Ahoy! The Bounty of Garlic”

This year’s theme is “Ahoy! The Bounty of Garlic,” bringing a little pirate adventure to the festival! Expect pirate-themed activities, costumed characters roaming the grounds and plenty of opportunities for fun photos.

Our limited-edition collectible Garlic Festival poster will also be available for purchase. The winning artist will be announced Saturday morning at the festival.

Live Music

Saturday, September 19 10:00am –12:00 noon Vintage Vibes 12:30–2:30pm: Rex Sole&Mini Sledge 3:00–5:00pm: Steve Frost Sunday, September 20 10:00am–12 noon: Ilwaco High School Mariachi Band Festival Hours

Saturday: 10:00am–5:00pm Sunday: 10:00am–4:00pm ADMISSION IS FREE so bring your family,

friends and your appetite for garlic!

For more information, visit opwa.com/ northwest-garlic-festival or call the Ocean Park Area Chamber of Commerce at 360- 665-4448.

More details in ad, page 23.

•••

On a Saturday morning 17 years ago, my wife Marilyn and I rode Amtrak to Tacoma to take delivery of “Twiggy” (our new Mini Cooper hardtop) from the Fife Mini dealer. We popped in a CD with a special playlist I had made just for that day; we spent the rest of the day driving back roads - using a paper gas station map to follow the forgotten roads. That is a day Marilyn and I will long remember.

Later I bought a Garmin GPS device for Twiggy. I never used it to find the shortest or faster route to get somewhere; I only used it after a day of driving the backroads…often to the point I simply didn’t know how to get home!

Some Reader readers may remember back around 20 years ago, after I had finished writing my 33-installment series about Lewis and Clark, I wrote a series titled “Postmarks Along the Trail.”

Those articles were quite similar to Hal’s recent “Blue Highways” feature on the Willamette Loop. My goal was to inspire readers to go for a Sunday drive, taking the back roads to visit towns and villages from yesteryear.

I wrote 24 installments, including the Quincy-Mayger loop, Old Highway 99 (the old Pacific Highway), the Bomber gas station in Milwaukee, Timberline Lodge, the old 2-lane Historic Columbia River Highway from Troutdale to The Dalle s, etc.

But you really don’t need someone else’s itinerary; just find an old paper gas station map and take the blue roads. Better yet, buy a copy of the 100+ page Washington or Oregon Atlas and Gazetteer produced by DeLorme… available at most outdoor stores or eBay. One last thought. Charles Kuralt, a CBS journalist who did a series called “On the Road,” once said at the completion of the Interstate Highway System: “It is now possible to travel across the country without seeing anything.”

••• Michael Perry is the author of Dispatches from the Discovery Trail, monthly column and book. He also wrote “Postmarks Along the Trail,” re-visiting historic locations during the Westward Expansion following Lewis & Clark’s Expedition.

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 21

Outings & Events Fall Wine Tasting & Auction Gala Sept.

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.

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.

ADVERTISING Deadlines, see page 6 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

19, 6:30–9:30pm. Sponsored by Friends of Skamokawa River Life Interpretive Center, held at Vista Appello Annex (the old Methodist church) at Vista Park, Skamokawa, Wash. Celebrating 40 years maintaining the 132-year-old Redmen Hall via the community’s generosity.. For tickets or to donate, visit friendsofskamokawa.org. Info 360-795-3007.

60th Annual Rock & Gem Show and Sale, Sept 19, 10–5; Sun, Sept 20,

10–4. Cowlitz County Event Center.

SW Washington Mineralogical Society.

Vendors, displays, food, demos,, etc.

44th Northwest Garrrrlick Festival Sept.

19-20 Ocean Park, Wash., See ad, next page, story, page 21.

Mount St. Helens Club

HIKES

See schedule, page 8.

I n t ro d u c t i o n t o H o m e s c h o o i n g

Wo r k s h o p b y T i f f a ny D i c k i n s o n , homeschooling veteran and author of

Tending the Spark: Simple Steps to Having a Successful Homeschool. Offered twice: Thurs, Sept 24, 4pm, and Sat, Sept 26th, 10:30am.

Free. You’ll leave with an action plan to get started. Longview Public Library, on Longview’s historic Civic Circle..

Longview Rotary Centennial Gala

Friday, Sept. 25. Members, guests and all community members welcome. Tickets $100 per person, $125 premium. Please email

Rotarian Sandra Swogger, sswogger@ yahoo.com, visit longviewrotary.com, for reservations, or mail a check to Rotary Club of Longview, P.O. Box 1105, Longview, WA 98632. Proceeds benefit

1984 Gripping stage adaptation of George Orwell’s dystopian drama. Weekends Oct 9-25, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm.

Stageworks Northwest, 1433 Commerce Ave., Longview, Wash. 360-636-4488.

Tickets: stageworksnorthwest.com Music and Memories with music therapist Airel Farley. Sept. 24 and every fourth Thursday, 1pm. Doors open 12:30pm. For the individual living with memory loss and their care partner.

The Catlin Center, 106 NE 8th Ave, Kelso, Wash. 360-232-8522. Funded by Wellpoint. To register, call 360-513-5754 or email alwaysHOPEinfo@gmail.com.

Martin Dock restoration project.

“How an Emigration Record Got Me Across the Pond” by Stephen Wendt,

genealogist, instructor, writer. Oct 8 Lower Columbia Genealogical Society zoom meeting. Virtual doors open 9:30am.

Program 10am.Public invited. Please consider joining the society for $20/yr. For a link to join the meeting or to join the society contact lcgsgen@yahoo.com 24hrs prior to the event.

Watercolorized sketch by the late Deena Martinsen,

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.

FIRST THURSDAY Oct 1st • 5:30–7pm Join us for art & refreshments.

Enjoy live music by Barbara Baker Check out our Classes, Teachers & Workshops by visiting our gallery or website.

OPEN

Voted one of top 3 Galleries in SW Wash.

FEATURED ARTISTS

Tues - Sat 11–4

Tammy Jorgenson (mixed media collage); Patty McMahan (oil paintings) October Guest artists TJ Frey and Remy Frey (both (2D art)

GIFTS • BOOKS ARTISAN CARDS • TREASURES Free Gift Wrap on request

September Gallery members

See ad, page 8

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

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: Oct 17 – Nov 25

by Sept 25 for Oct 15 issue

Nov 25, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027

by Nov 10 for Nov 25 Holiday issue Calendar submissions are considered for inclusion, subject to lead time, relevance to readers, and space limitations.

See Submission Guidelines above.

22 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

Sunday,Oct 16 • 3pm Tickets: Adult $20; Senior/ Students $18, Child $15 CLATSKANIE ARTS COMMISSION

Performance at Birkenfeld Theatre, Clatskanie Cultural Center, Clatskanie, Ore. Tickets / Info: www.clatskaniearts.org

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.

Outings & Events Southwest Washington Symphony Fall Concerts

Sat, Oct 17, 7pm; Sun,, Oct 18, 3pm. Rose Center for the Arts at Lower Columbia College, Wollenberg Auditorium. Program includes “The Planets,” by Gustav Holst, and “Star Trek through the Years,” by Calvin Custer. Free admission; donations welcome. www.swwsymphony.org

in the spotlight

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

by Hal Calbom

See story, page 24

OUR STAFF

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 23

in the spotlight Six films in one night Provocative, evocative, genre-busting On the Brink...

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

by Hal Calbom

T

here’s ideal proportion to the Short Film format.

Like a well-crafted story, anecdote or one-act play, the Short Film presents its scene sets, ideas and characters briskly and limits their number.

The immediacy of the v i ew i n g a n d l i ste n in g experience — and intense focus of a skilled filmmaker and cast — often transcends the two hours, three acts, and self-indulgences which can sabotage feature-length films.

Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts

Tickets from $17.50. Details and tickets,visit columbiatheatre.com. Box Office 360-575-8499

“We’re just two people who love this art form,” said show co-producer Mikey Steiner, a Longview native who partners with LAbased Reena Dutt to stage this annual show, now in its fourth year.

Their six-film program, “On the Brink,” hits the screen Saturday night, September 26th, at Longview’s Columbia Theatre, with all you’d expect from a good night at the movies, plus chats with directors, audience Q and A, and surprise guests from both sides of the camera.

“Most of the films we’ve chosen run about 20 minutes,” said Steiner in a phone call in early September, “and we try to mix genres — comedy, dance, drama.” Past films and filmmakers from

“We tried to pick films that dramatized the infinite possibilities there are when change is in the air,” Steiner said. “There’s a flexibility and freedom to this format that allow maximum experimentation and experience to flourish.”

the series have gone on to grace screens via Netflix HBO, PBS, and worldwide festivals.

“Reena and I actually collaborated on a film called ‘Found’ shot here at the Columbia during COVID,” she said. Former RA Long High School Drama Doyenne Susan Donahue has been a long time mentor and friend to the program and will help curate the Saturday fest on Sept. 26,.

Sounds good to me. And if you’re not charmed by one of these movies, there’ll be another coming up shortly.

•••

I asked Steiner for any special highlights to look forward to. She named “Imprint,” which has already reaped Festival awards, and “Say It Like You Mean It,” — “That’s basically a rock video by Carrie Brownstein, of Sleater Kinney and TV satire Portlandia fame,” she said, “and we’ve invited any director who can make it to come share with the audience.”

My sense is the menu is irresistible and defies categorization. There is a great ethnic and gender diversity among the participants, a welcome expansion beyond the strictures of conventional Hollywood. And what about “On the Brink” as a program title?

Hal Calbom is associate publisher with CRRPress, and produces CRR’s monthly “People+Place” feature, see page 17.

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

¡CELEBRAMOS LA CULTURA, LA COMUNIDAD, Y LAS CONTRIBUCIONES HISPANAS!

SEPTEMBER 15-OCTOBER 15 Your Columbia River Reader Read it • Enjoy it Share it • Recycle it Columbia River Reader is printed with environmentally-sensitive soybased inks on paper manufactured in the Pacific Northwest utilizing the highest percentage of “post-consumer waste” recycled content available on the market.

24 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

We’re committed to helping all members and families feel seen, supported, and empowered to reach their financial goals.

fibrecu.com | 800.205.7872 | Federally insured by NCUA

Northwest Gardener

Life is just a bowl of cherries... cherry tomatoes, that is!

Story & photos by Nancy Chennault

S

ince choosing the topic of this month’s column, the old Depressionera song, “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries” has been “living rent free in my head.” A Google search reveals that “A bowl of cherries symbolizes a life that is sweet, carefree, and full of pleasant experiences.” Well, I agree! Our summer within the tasty world of Pacific Northwest tomato gardening has indeed been sweet. Especially with rediscovering the satisfaction of growing and eating the tiniest of tomatoes.

Disclaimer: My husband Jim is the vegetable garden/tomato grower and I mostly stick to flowers. And, I must admit that cherry tomatoes have not been our favorite tomato to grow and to eat. The standard Sweet 100 or the new generation, A Tomato Array Clockwise from top, Sungold, Husky Cherry Sweet Million, impressed us with plant Red, Chocolate Cherry, Red Grape, Yellow Pear and Juliet. size more than flavor, but once Sungold and then Sun Sugar came along we were hooked. They We also had a couple of tomatoes in containers are indeed sweeter than any tomato has a right to be if on our deck. A black basket tomato was a you wait for them to get a really ripe orange.

Father’s Day gift for We evaluated the Sungold along with the other cherry Jim (pictured at right).. tomatoes we grew this year. Tomato flavors are personal.

No variety name, just Every person has their favorite and much of that is based “basket tomato.” Again, on color and the earliest ripening. This year, I became a Google search proved a fan, because it took the slicing tomatoes, which have successful. This is a a l w ay s b e e n micro-tomato Hybrid our favorites, F1 called “Akoya,”from s u ch a l o n g Reimer Seeds. The first time to ripen. one we tasted appeared Weather being ripe in early July, so it a factor, even is first on the list as #1. o u r favo r i te We transplanted the ‘Fireworks’ Akoya Akoya from its 10” didn’t ripen basket to a 12” pot It with regularity is as black as night, and until August when we figured out 1st. they were not going to Every year, we soften; we took a chance try one or two and ate one. They slice new varieties to up soft and are really see how they good. Since it was the will grow and Sungold only tomato ripe at the taste. This year, time, we picked until the without even poor little thing was bare planning it, of ripening fruit. I gave it the number of some Organic 5-5-5 food cherry tomato and it has now rewarded us with hundreds varieties of ripening black cherries. It is truly the “gift expanded to that keeps on giving.” half a dozen, even without Nancy Chennault and her husband, Jim, operated Sungold. For a landscaping business and independent nursery/ the purpose of garden center for 20+ years. She wrote CRR’s this column Northwest Gardener in CRR’s early years. After a friend, a hiatus, she re-joined CRR to reconnect us with graciously let me harvest and then photograph the some of her favorite gardening topics. Nancy is enormous plant growing on his front deck (above). founder of “Castle Rock Blooms” community team of volunteers.

A Tomato Array (photo at left): Sungold: Prolific and very sweet when ripe. More like a fruit than vegetable in our opinion. As you can imagine, these are a favorite with kids. When it is fully ripe, it will split when harvested as it pulls off the stem. Eat these right away! They do tend to split easily when it rains, as well.

Husky Red Cherry: Took a long time for these to set fruit and ripen, but once they did, some could be picked daily.

Firm and good tomato flavor. I would do these again because of the true tomato taste, size of the producing plant and ease of growing in a container. It didn’t seem to care if the only time I had to water was after dark, i.e. no disease.

Chocolate Cherry: One of the earliest to ripen of those in the garden.

It is a large plant with many branches in all directions. Ripe tomatoes are soft and do not slice well, but cut in half for a salad and they are good.

Red Grape: My new favorite! So sweet and true tomato taste in the tiniest of tomatoes. Some did get to be larger “grape” size, but I liked them best when they looked like red jelly beans. They grow in bunches like grapes too! Perfect on pizza because they didn’t get mushy.

Hard to use in a sandwich because of the size, but I Iove them!

Yellow Pear: Because we had never

grown Yellow Pear tomatoes before, we were surprised by the size. They were bigger and sliced well lengthwise or in ‘gold coins’. Once the clusters begin to ripen you will be eating them every day. Large plant with no splitting yet.

Heavier rain may cause some splitting but so far, none.

Juliet: The perfect ‘two-bite’ tomato.

Sweet and firm with excellent tomato flavor. You may see some splitting when overripe. However, we eat them fast enough we rarely see it. Salad and just sliced lengthwise. These have been our favorite for lunch or snack for many years and we don’t really think of them as a cherry tomato. Juliet is a great tomato to grow to introduce children to the deliciousness of vineripened tomatoes.

•••

September 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 sidewalk box and rack locations where you can pick up a copy.

LONGVIEW

RAINIER

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)

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)

KELSO

Warren Country Inn

Visitors’ Center / Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce

SCAPPOOSE

KALAMA

Etc Mercantile Fibre Fed’l CU Kalama Shopping Center corner of First & Fir Columbia Inn McMenamin’s Harbor Lodge (rack) Luckmans Coffee, Mountain Timber Market, Port of Kalama WOODLAND

Grocery Outlet Luckman Coffee Park &Ride lot (former Vis. Ctr) CASTLE ROCK

In front of CR Blooms Center Cowlitz St. W., near Vault Books & Brew Visitors’ Ctr, 890 Huntington Ave N., Exit 49, west side of I-5 Cascade Select Market Fibre Fed’l CU VADER

Little Crane Café RYDERWOOD

Café porch TOUTLE

Drew’s Grocery & Service CLATSKANIE, ORE

Post Office Mobil / Mini-Mart Fultano’s Pizza Clatskanie Food Hub (rack inside) Bundy’s (rack in dining room)

DEER ISLAND

Deer Island Store COLUMBIA CITY

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 WARREN

Post Office Road Runner Fultano’s Ace Hardware CATHLAMET, WASH

Cathlamet Pharmacy Tsuga Gallery (entry rack) Puget Island Ferry Landing SKAMOKAWA, WASH

Skamokawa General Store NASELLE, WASH

Appelo Archives & Café Johnson’s One-Stop Oakie’s (Box outside) ILWACO, WASH

To Autumn

Poetry

By John Keats 1795–1821

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease, For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find Thee sitting careless on a granary floor, Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind; Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep, Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers: And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep Steady thy laden head across a brook; Or by a cider-press, with patient look, Souvenirs • T-Shirts • Hoodies Thou watchest the last oozings, hours Ash Glass & Hellenite Jewelry by hours.

Mt. St. Helens Gifts

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?

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

OCEAN PARK, WASH

Ocean Park Chamber of Commerce, 1715 Bay Ave. ASTORIA, ORE

RiverSea Gallery Godfather’s Books Elliot Hotel (while supply lasts) Bridgewater Bistro - lobby (while supply lasts) FORT CLATSOP VISITOR CENTER

Rack in lobby WARRENTON. ORE WESTPORT, ORE

Berry Patch (entry rack)

26 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

1254-B Mt. St. Helens Way

360-274-7011

223 NE 1st Street, Kalama 9–8 M-Sat, 10–7 Sun • 360-673-2200

Time Enough Books (entry table)

Fred Meyer

Bigfoot HQ Castle Rock • I-5 Exit 49

Call for your appointment today! www.drcorning.com

Dr. Going provides family care focused on treating each person as a whole, enabling healing on mental, emotional, and physical levels.

Methods — including constitutional homeopathy, botanical and nutritional medicine, and diet and lifestyle counseling ­— allow the body to heal itself.

253-341-9410 • 19 Little Island Lane • Cathlamet,Wash.

Welcome to Historic Downtown Longview!

• Buy local • Relax & Enjoy

We’re family owned, locally owned & here to stay

• Outdoor Sculptures

Authorized Lazboy Dealer

• Support small biz

1413 Commerce Ave. Longview 360-575-9804 MON - SAT 10 - 5

The Broadway Gallery Columbia River Reader

www.elamshf.com

See ads, pp 8, 22.

BOOK BOUTIQUE Lewis & Clark, Longview’s Centennial, Columbia River poetry, art, history, see pg 2,

Gift Subscriptions for yourself or a friend!

Come to us for all your plumbing & septic needs!

Mon-Wed-Fri • 11am–3pm, or by chance or appointment 1333 14th Ave, Longview Free local delivery of books

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Financial Network TERRY BARNES GRAMBO Investment Adviser Representative

Making sure the winds of time and change will take you where you want to go.

1339 Commerce Ave • Suite 207 Longview WA 98632

Direct: 360.423.1962 Fax: 360.423.8022 grambot@financialnetwork.com www.terrybarnesgrambo.com Securities and advisory services offered through Cetera Advisor Networks llc, member FINRA/SIPC. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.

Services include: • Life Insurance • IRA Rollovers • Estate Planning • Asset Protections • Annuities • Retirement Strategies

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 27

Q

Cover to Cover

UIPS & QUOTES

BESIDES COLUMBIA RIVER READER...

What are you reading?

Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom

Collected by Jim Tejcka

By Stephen R. Platt

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

hose who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.

-- 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 slaver. (1809-1865)

E

verything in the mind is in rat’s country. It doesn’t die. They are merely carried, these disparate memories, back and forth in the desert of a billion neurons, set down, picked up, and dropped again by mental pack rats.

--Loren Eiseley, praised as a scientist who could write with poetic sensibility and with a fine sense of wonder, and of reverence before the mysteries of life and nature. (1907-1977)

Monthly feature coordinated

by Alan Rose

Review by Tom Lee

H

enry Kissinger called Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom a “splendid example of finely calibrated historical narrative [that] brings to vivid life a pivotal chapter in China’s history that has been all but forgotten.”

Americans should know about the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864) because its occurrence alongside the American Civil War (1861-1865) was no mere coincidence.

As Great Britain approached its imperial zenith in power and might, it faced the prospective loss of its two largest economic markets to internal conflict. Stephen R. Platt argues that Great Britain made a pivotal choice to A Pacific Northwest native, Tom now resides in Texas Hill Country with his wife, Joanna, and young daughter, Vivienne.

J

im had a sense of humor that just sorted out life. And, you know, too much of life for most people is involved in picking what are really fairly petty things and turning them into deep tragedies and horrible melodramas.

And Jim always cut through that.

--Jerry Jubl, co-creator of the Muppets puppet dramas commenting on Jim Henson’s philosophies. (1938–2005)

interfere in the Chinese civil war (its death toll exceeding 30 million people) and sidestepped intervening in our own nation’s destiny.

He notes these actions are “a reminder of just how fine the line is separating humanitarian intervention from imperialism.”

This is a Shakespearean drama packaged as a cautionary tale: A once-mighty empire struggles with decline and internal decay; a disillusioned young man claims prophetic powers and starts an explosive political movement; two competing regimes claim divine legitimacy and pursue their Faustian bargains with Western powers to gain the upper hand.

•••

discover local discover local food food

T

Read a good book lately?

Share your impressions and thoughts with other C R R re a d e r s . E m a i l alan@alan-rose.com or publisher@crreader.com for info. Writers and nonwriters welcome, editing services provided, and can be based on phone miniinterview if preferred.

As “a moral tale, of conscience and fate,” it is the “story of a handful of individuals torn from the fabric of their familiar lives and thrust into roles of historical consequence…the deliberate choices from which one can never turn back, the acts that, once committed, can never be undone...”

VISIT CLATSKANIE!

he more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.

-- Theodor Seuss Geisel, writing under the pen name Dr. Seuss, from “I Can Read with My Eyes Shut.” (1904-1991)

ATTENTION READERS

Drink Good Coffee, Read Good Books

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

Saturday Farmers Market Year-Round Food Hub Festivals & more 80 Steele St. Clatskanie, Oregon

••• 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.

Scan fofor! more in

28 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

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

ClatskanieFarmerCollective.org

Oct. 13

For information visit

www.alan-rose.com

SECOND

Cover to Cover Brought to you by Book Sense and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, dated Aug. 30, 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 FICTION

PAPERBACK NON-FICTION

1. Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer, Milkweed Editions, $22.00 2. Dungeon Crawler 2. The Reverse Centaur’s Carl Guide to Life After AI Matt Dinniman, Ace, Cory Doctorow, MCD, $20.00 $18.00 3. Carl’s Doomsday 3. Murderland Scenario Caroline Fraser, Penguin Matt Dinniman, Ace, $21.00 Books, $21.00 4. Project Hail Mary 4. Raising Hare: A Memoir Andy Weir, Ballantine Chloe Dalton, Vintage, Books, $22.00 $21.00 5. Remarkably Bright 5. Is a River Alive?

Creatures Robert Macfarlane, W. W. Shelby Van Pelt, Ecco, Norton & Company, $19.99 $19.99 6. I Who Have Never 6. All About Love Known Men Jacqueline Harpman, bell hooks, William Morrow Transit Books, $16.95 Paperbacks, $17.99 7. My Friends 7. A Marriage at Sea Fredrik Backman, Atria Sophie Elmhirst, Riverhead Books, $20.00 Books, $20.00 8. Circe 8. The Hidden Life of Trees Madeline Miller, Back Peter Wohlleben, Bay, $19.99 Greystone Books, $18.95 9. The Buffalo Hunter 9. On Island Time Hunter Stephen Graham Jones, Chandler O’Leary, S&S/Saga Press, $20.00 Sasquatch Books, $24.95 10. The Odyssey 10. Kitchen Confidential Homer, Emily Wilson Anthony Bourdain, Ecco, (Transl.), Norton, $18.95 $18.99 1. Theo of Golden

Allen Levi, Atria Books, $20.00

BOOK REVIEW London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth Patrick Radden Keefe Doubleday $35

I

n the early morning hours of November 29, 2019, a young man named Zac Brettler jumped from the fifth-story balcony of a luxury London apartment building. The nineteen-year-old’s body was found in the Thames River several days later.

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2. Yesteryear (Indies Introduce)

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2. The Land and Its People

Caro Claire Burke, Knopf, $30.00

David Sedaris, Little, Brown and Company, $30.00

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3. The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State

Ann Patchett, Harper, $30.00

Jill Lepore, Liveright, $29.99

4. The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook

4. The Serviceberry

5. Daggerbound (Swordheart #2)

5. Nobody Broke Your Heart

Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30.00

T. Kingfisher, Bramble, $29.99

Robin Wall Kimmerer, John Burgoyne (Illus.), Scribner, $20.00 Jamie Fisher, Dutton, $34.00

6. This Vast Enterprise

6. The Gate of the Feral Gods

Craig Fehrman, Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, $35.00

7. The Correspondent

Belle Burden, The Dial Press, $30.00

8. Land

Patrick Radden Keefe, Doubleday, $35.00

9. Big Little Truths

Gil Durán, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, $30.00

10. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride

Stewart Reynolds, Pengun Press, $32.00

Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30.00

Virginia Evans, Crown, $28.00

Maggie O’Farrell, Knopf, $32.00 Liane Moriarty, Crown, $34.00

7. Strangers

8. London Falling

9. The Nerd Reich

10. Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism

Matt Dinniman, Ace, $39.00

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CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATED

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Ben Clanton, Tundra Books, $19.99 9. Good Night, Little Blue Truck Alice Schertle, Jill McElmurry (Illus.), Clarion Books, $10.99 10. Where’s Waldo?

Martin Handford, Candlewick, $8.99

EARLY & MIDDLE READERS

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8. Snow & Rose

Emily Winfield Martin, Yearling, $9.99

9. A Wolf Called Fire

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

10. It’s The End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit justin a. reynolds, Scholastic Press, $8.99

A tale of our time, for our time By Alan Rose In the course of trying to understand what had happened to their son, his grief-stricken parents made a disturbing discovery. Over the previous year, Zac had created an alternate identity for himself, as Zac Ismailov, the son of a Russian oligarch and heir to an immense fortune. This invented identity had drawn him into the seedy underworld lying beneath London’s glittering facade of wealth and prestige.

Investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe explores the web of lies Zac spun, following the web’s many strands through layers of affluence, privilege, deception, and danger.

Keefe is a writer for The New Yorker and the author of Empire of Pain, Alan’s haunting novel of his award-winning account of the the AIDS epidemic, As If Sackler family and the opioid Death Summoned, won the epidemic. A master storyteller, he Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award (LGBT writes with a propulsive energy that draws the reader ever deeper into category). He organizes Zac’s story and his fate. Appearing the monthly Word Fest on a number of Best Books of 2026 gathering (info on facing page). Reach him at www. lists, London Falling has the taut alan-rose.com. pacing and suspense of a classic mystery.

…the truth is, everybody lies. We all do it, in ways large and small, more often than we might care to admit. Scholars known as “deception scientists” have studied the psychology of lying and concluded that as a human behavior, it is incredibly common. Most studies on the subject have found that the average person lies at least once or twice a day. But this may be an underestimate, because the methodology of these studies usually depends on self-reporting by subjects, and when people answer questions about how often they lie, they might very well be lying.

-- from London Falling

But the book is more than just the story of one young man’s selfdeception and tragic end. It’s also a portrait of London. Since the end of World War II, the city has reinvented itself from being a major manufacturing center to become one of the finance capitals of the

world, increasingly defined and dominated by foreign money (and, it’s suggested, money laundering.)

This is a book that has profound implications for our time. As a member of the Gen Z generation, Zac Brettler grew up with the Internet, and his story may be understood as emblematic of the more troubling aspects of our Internet culture. He certainly wasn’t alone in being influenced by social media, captivated by the luster and false images it presents 24/7, or being fed fantasies of fame, glamour, and the conspicuous consumption of immense wealth, the more conspicuous, the better.

In this way, it can be read as a cautionary tale for our time.

And finally, London Falling is a story about the lies we tell — to ourselves as well as to others — and why we continue telling them in our very human pursuit of happiness and its illusions.

•••

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 29

COLUMBIA RIVER

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 Monday–Sunday, 11am–10pm. 11am-11pm.

Full bar. 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

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 12.

Castle Rock, Wash

L

uckman’s Coffee Company 239 Huntington

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.

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.

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

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 fr Exit 49) 24-hour fueling (gas & mcmenamins.com. 8am–midnight daily. 360all around(10themi.edges. diesel), card at pump, Red Leaf Organic 673-9210. Indoor dining, covered outdoor Coffee. See ad, page 21. 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 34.

Scythe Brewing Company 1217 3rd Avenue #150 360-353-3851 Mon-Fri 11:30am -8pm; SatSun 10am–7pm (brunch items served 10am–1pm).

Family-friendly brewery/restaurant, lunch and dinner.

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.

Scappoose, Ore.

Teri’s on Broadway

1133 Broadway. Lunch and Dinner, full bar. Mon 4–8pm. Tues-Thurs 11am–8pm, Fri 11am–8:30pm; Sat 12–8:30 pm. Live music on Wednesday pms.

360-577-0717

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

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 10.

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 / September 15, 2026

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

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

360-749-2632

THE TIDEWATER REACH

A Different Way of Seeing

WORDS AND WOOD

FIELD GUIDE TO THE LOWER COLUMBIA IN POEMS AND PICTURES

by Debby Neely

PACIFIC NORTHWEST WOODCUTS AND HAIKU

Poem by Robert Michael Pyle

Open Water

Photograph by Judy VanderMaten

Feathers shape three sprig

Field Note by

Water and wind fills the rest

Hal Calbom

Nice lines, cool design

EMPIRE OF TREES

by Hal Calbom

AMERICA’S PLANNED CITY AND THE LAST FRONTIER

River Cutters Hollowed cottonwoods, burnt, scraped, adzed, maybe the first craft to ply the river’s face.

Canoes, by the time of the beaver hunters, voyageurs with bottomless skill, paddled all across the continent, headwater to headwater and down again, all the way to Vancouver.

Long time later, it’s all kayaks, cottonwood and birch gone to plastic and fiberglass.

They look like so many gummi worms lined up along the dock, belly down. Then put in, and turn into fish, slicing the whitecaps of the main stem, cutting whitewater in the steep rocky tribs.

Hunting thrills instead of pelts, oneness with water mediated by thin skins of red, yellow, blue, watching wildlife instead of trapping. Oh, it is a different world out there on the river, this latter-day cutting, these Road Scholar voyageurs, when nobody’s life is on the line and only the cormorants take a second look.

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

KAYAKS: SKAMOKAWA DOCK Sea kayakers flourish on the Columbia.

At Skamokowa the interplay of tides and river flow creates exhilarating — and potentially hazardous — shifts in current.

Inshore sloughs and inlets offer calmer water, bird watching and pristine vistas.

Photo courtesy of Longview Public Library Photo courtesy of Cowlitz County Historical Museum

Salvation Army workers handing out food to volunteers working on the Coweeman Dike during the June 1933 flood in south Kelso

Hard Times At heart, despite the grand dreams, Longview would become a solidly working-class town, which bred solidarity in good times and bad, especially during the Great Depression: Being a tramp was an occupation that citizens understood and respected. Housewives were not frightened when one knocked on the the back door asking for work and food. Husbands instructed their wives not to let them into the house but to feed them even if there was no work to be done.

Virginia Urrutia They Came to Six Rivers

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 September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 31

Hikes from page 6

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

Oct 3 - Sat Lake Sacajawea (E) Wa l k 4 m i l e s on f lat ground around the whole lake or any portion for a shorter walk. **THIS WALK IS DESIGNED FOR SUPER SENIORS AND/OR PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS AT A SLOW PACE.** Leader: Susan S. 360-430-9914 Oct 7 - Wed Pacific Way Dike (E) Hike 5.5 miles on a smooth level path with no e.g. Leader: John R. 360-431-1122

Your future self will thank you!

Oct 9 - Fri Packwood Lake (S) Drive 206 miles RT. Hike 9 miles with 400’ e.g. to Packwood Lake, out and back. Leaders: Julie L. 360747-1415; Leslie P. 360-520-4592 Oct 14 - Wed Mystery Hike (E) Drive 105 miles RT to the “mystery” trailhead. Hike 5 miles RT. with 400’ e.g. Leader: Bruce 360-4250256 Oct 17 - Sat Archer Mountain (S) Drive 145 miles RT Hike 4.7 miles with 1550’ e.g. under a dense forest canopy with several viewpoints with gorgeous views of the Columbia River. Leader: Jacob S. 971-216-9716 •••

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

Richard A. Kirkpatrick Christie Kirkpatrick Schmutz MD, FACP MD, ABIM, ABOM

Alex Nielson MD, ABFM

Scott B. Kirkpatrick MD, Cardiology

Shannon Smith MPAS, PA-C

Nicholas Austin MSPAS, PA-C

Somerset

Retirement & Assisted Living MD, FACP

Vlad Bogin

Gordon Hendrickson, PA-C

Doris Fapohunda PA-C

Alina Gis, PA-C

Christine Johnson, APRN

Katie Shutler, PA-C

www.kirkpatrickfamilycare.org

360-423-9580

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

• Foot Surgery • Fungal Conditions • Wound Care

• U.S. Navy Veteran

360-575-9161

Dr. Toddrick Tookes DPM, Podiatry

32 / Columbia River Reader / September 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? Cavorting with kangaroos Down Under

Kelso, Wash. resident Judy Rodriguez, in Perth, Western Australia.

At an undisclosed Slovenian location Longview resident Bob Park this June at a secret fishing spot in Slovenia, along with the fish he caught.

Sahara sunrise

Lori Powell and Karol McGinty reading the Reader at sunrise while on an ATV excursion in the Sahara Desert in Morocco; below: Jim McGinty reading it on a snow/sand board at the same place. All are from Longview, Wash. Photos

by Don and Lori Powell.

Gone upriver Craig Toomay, Tim Healy, Bruce Healy, Cinde Runnion and Peggy Toomay at Maryhill Winery with the Reader featuring owners Craig and Vicki Leuthold on the cover. The group was sailing with American Cruise Lines and met Ned Piper while he was delivering papers in Kalama, Wash., earlier in their cruise.

WHERE DO YOU READ THE READER? Send your photo reading the Reader (high-resolution JPEG) to publisher@crreader.com. 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 patience. We usually have a small backlog!

September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 33

the spectator

PLUGGED IN TO COWLITZ

by ned piper

PUD

When it rains, it pours... tomatoes

E

verybody needs neighbors like Vince and Susi Lee.

I have tried growing tomatoes in the past, without much success. It must be that the hundred year-old oak tree in the backyard blocks our plantings from getting adequate sunlight.

One year, I bought four tomato plants that yielded only two ripe tomatoes. They were the two green tomatoes already growing on one of the plants l when I bought them.

So, back to our neighbors. A year ago, Vince and Susi attended a party at our house. Susie mentioned that she had been cooking a batch of raspberry jam.

I replied that I love raspberry jam. Lo and behold, two jars of the best raspberry jam I had ever tasted appeared on our porch.

Then, on a recent evening, Vince sent me a text that he had placed a bag of tomatoes by our garage door. The bag contained two big beautiful tomatoes

and 10 sweet baby tomatoes. After tasting one of the tiny fruits, I texted a thank you message to the Lees.

A week later I received another bag, this one filled with more red beauties, plus a few stems of fresh basil, all grown at their plot in the Longview Community Gardens.

The City owns four acres on 32nd Avenue divided into 125 individual plots Longview residents can rent.

Learn more by visiting longviewlibrary. org/documentcenter/view354 and view 4061 O r, y o u c a n m ove i n t o o u r neighborhood and become friends with Vince and Susi.

••• Longview resident Ned Piper is mostly retired, but assists with CRR ads, distribution, and proofreading when he is not enjoying TV sports, movies, or political talk shows (shouting matches) .

Alice Dietz Cowlitz PUD Communications/ Public Relations Manager

Storm season is around the corner: Be prepared before the lights go out!

A

s we head into fall and winter, storm season is just around the corner. While the Pacific Northwest is known for its beautiful trees and changing weather, strong winds, heavy rain, and winter storms can lead to power outages.

At Cowlitz PUD, our crews prepare year-round to maintain and restore reliable electric service when storms strike. During major weather events, lineworkers, dispatchers, and support staff work around the clock to safely restore power as quickly as possible.

Safety is always our top priority, both for our employees and our community.

You can help prepare, too

Before a storm arrives, consider building an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, bottled water, medications, and backup charging options for phones and other essential devices. It’s also a good idea to have a plan for family members who rely on electrically-powered medical equipment.

If an outage occurs, one of the best ways to stay informed is through Cowlitz PUD’s online Outage Map at www.cowlitzpud.org/outages.

The map provides real-time information about current outages, affected areas, and restoration progress when available.

Customers can also sign up for outage notifications through SmartHub. These alerts can provide updates by texts helping you stay informed without needing to repeatedly check for updates.

Remember, if you encounter a downed power line, stay far away and assume it is energized. Call 911 and Cowlitz PUD immediately to report the hazard.

Never drive over or touch a downed line.

Storms are a part of life in our region, but a little preparation can go a long way. By planning ahead and staying connected through our outage tools, you’ll be better prepared when severe weather arrives.

•••

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

LOWER COLUMBIA CURRENTS Commentary by

Andre Stepankowsky TITLES TONNAGE FAX SERVICE MAILING SERVICE NOTARY SERVICE QUICK TITLES CARS TRUCKS BOATS CYCLES TRAILERS TRIP PERMITS

Choose us for all your auto licensing needs!

• Quick In & Out • Friendly Service • Handy Parking

360-577-3972 957 14th Ave., Longview

HOURS: M-F 8:30am–6pm Sat 10am–3pm

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

website: autolicensingwa.com

POSTAL SERVICE: Cash & Checks only LICENSING SERVICES: Debit/Credit Cards, Cash & Check NOTARY SERVICES: Cash only

34 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026

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

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

• LVP LUXURY

VINYL PLANK • HARDWOOD • TILE

Service • Selection • Price

Nobody beats Sloans!

Sales & Design Residential & Commercial

1064 12th Avenue Longview, WA 98632 sloansfloorcovering.com

360.575.8055

A Different Way of Seeing... FIVE SPECTACULAR BOOKS! Published by CRREADER.COM/CRRPRESS

THE TIDEWATER REACH Field Guide to

the Lower Columbia in Poems and Pictures THREE EDITIONS • $25, $35, $50

Purchase at 1333 14th Ave., Longview, Wash.

By Robert Michael Pyle and Judy VanderMaten

GREAT GIFTS!

M-W-F, 11–3 • INFO: 360-749-1021

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

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

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

s a fresh look at the Lewis and experienced, and where they w. Compiled from a popular mmentary, Perry’s Dispatches e insights, quirks, and wry

n, avid collector and He lives in Kelso, Washington.

at read, well researched and esented in an appealing format. start learning more about the ” — ALLEN BENNETT dent, Lower Columbia Chapter itional Small Craft Association

DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL

dispatches from the discovery trail

tor’s eye, nd the heart.

A Layman’s Lewis & Clark $35

CRR PRESS

• Columbia Gorge Interpretive Museum Stevenson

dispatches

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

from the Discovery trail

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.

with HAL CALBOM woodcut art by dEbby NEELy

Collectors Edition

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

781734 672565

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.

Pacific Northwest Woodcuts and Haiku

by Debby Neely $35 – The Editors

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.”

Photo by hal Calbom

Debby Neely From Words and Wood

COLUMBIA RIVER READER PRESS

All books Include author Interviews

Top left: “Bright Morning at Lydia Cove” Top right: “Chatham Sunrise Over Lydia Cove” 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 ultramarine.

“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.

words and wood • debby neely

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

53500>

Books also available at:

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

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

A Lifetime of Art

“Reflections at Wellfleet”

by Michael O. Perry

• Broadway Gallery Longview

Gregory L. Gorham

Above: “The Blynman Bridge House Detail,” Acrylic

“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

• Cowlitz County Historical Museum Shop Kelso • Kelso-Longview Visitor Center, Kelso

words and wood

pacific northwest woodcuts and haiku debby neely

A LIFETIME OF ART Catalog Raisonne

by Gregory L. Gorham ‘Easel-y Art’ Exhibition Edition $100 • Boxed, easel included For Longview’s Centennial!

EMPIRE OF TREES

America’s Planned City and the Last Frontier Tidewater Reach and Dispatches books feature original woodcut art by Debby Neely

Mail Order Form, page 2.

Or call 360-749-1021 FREE local delivery.

Or purchase online: crreader.com/crrpress Shipping charge applies

by Hal Calbom Signed, Gift-boxed $50

• Vault Books & Brew Castle Rock • Tsuga Gallery Cathlamet • Redmen Hall Skamokawa • Skamokawa Store Skamokawa • Appelo Archives Naselle • Time Enough Books Ilwaco • Marie Powell Gallery Ilwaco • Godfather’s Books Astoria, Ore. • RiverSea Gallery Astoria,Ore. • Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum The Dalles, Ore.

Please support our local booksellers & galleries

BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS September 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 35

PUD EmployeesWayne Wayne Baker PUD Emlpoyees, Baker andand Langston Langston Gurney, Gurney Circa 1950 circa 1950 36 / Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2026