Field Guide to the Lower Columbia River in Poems and Pictures By Robert Michael Pyle and Judy VanderMaten.
Rex Ziak’s edited and annotated edition of Franchére’s 1820 journal, The First American Settlement on the Pacific.
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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.
A LIFETIME OF
WORDS AND WOOD
Pacific Northwest Woodcuts and Haiku by Debby Neely
•Boxed, Gift Edition with tasseled bookmark $35
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A Layman’s Lewis & Clark by Michael O. Perry.
•BW Edition $35
•220 historic photos •Boxed, signed. $50.
As we go to press with this issue, the Artemis II crew is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, April 10, and with everyone else, I am keeping my fingers crossed it will all go as planned.
Many of us remember the Apollo lunar module “Eagle” landing in July 1969, when Neil Armstrong stepped out and uttered those inspiring words: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” What a milestone.
And now, fast forward to Easter morning 2026, when astronaut Victor Glover spoke to us Earthlings from the Artemis capsule, “Integrity,” live, from space: “...I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created... you have this amazing place, this spaceship. You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos.
Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special. But we’re the same distance from you, and I’m trying to tell you, just trust me, you are special. In all of this emptiness, this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe. You have this oasis, this
Publisher/Editor: Susan P. Piper
Columnists and contributors:
Hal Calbom
Nancy Chennault
Alice Dietz
Joseph Govednik
Jen Langdon
Michael Perry
Ned Piper
Robert Michael Pyle
Alan Rose
Greg Smith
Andre Stepankowsky
Jeff Stookey
Jim Tejcka
Judy VanderMaten
Dennis Weber
Editorial/Proofreading Assistants: Merrilee Bauman, Michael Perry, Marilyn Perry, Susan Nordin, Tiffany Dickinson, Ned Piper
Advertising Manager: Ned Piper, 360-749-2632
Columbia River Reader, llc 1333 14th Ave, Longview, WA 98632
In his “Museum Magic” column (see page 15), Joseph Govednik describes the exhibit which just opened at the Cowlitz County Historic Museum, “Moments that Made Us.” Be sure to make time to visit. CRR is an in-kind partner of “Washington State: America’s 250th” promotion, meaning we will be publicizing local and regional special events coming up. Meanwhile, for more info, visit: america250WA.org.
Of course, America’s 250 years seem pretty brief compared to 5,000 years of China’s continuous history. In Hal Calbom’s “Tea with Venus” People+Place feature (see page 17-21) he leads us through Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden. It’s a lovely experience, so go in person if you can; and/or visit the Minthorn Chinese Art Collection at LCC’s Rose Center in Longview for an extra treat!
Spring brings showers and flowers, and this issue is bursting with info on plant sales, tea parties, Earth Day events, music, centennials, and celebrations of all sorts. Hibernation is over! Be of good cheer, and enjoy spring on our spaceship oasis!
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Venus Sun at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Ore.
by
spaceship oasis America’s
beautiful place where we get to exist — together....this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing and that we’ve got to get through this together.
Thomas Jefferson’ statue inside the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC., primary author of the Declaration of Independence on 1776.
Weber’s piece concise, accurate
In my mind, Dennis Weber’s article on the “Ancient Geology Paved the Way” is the most concise, yet accurate, of all the articles I have read on the Bretz’s floods. It encapsulated all we know about the floods, while doing so with the least number of words. Amazing!
Congratulations to Dennis..
Jarl Opgrande Longview, Wash.
1425 Maple Street Longview, WA 98632 360.425.2950 www.cascade-title.com
Try to ignore neighbor’s bragging; hostess gift replaces thank-you note?
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a neighbor who makes it a point to tell me that she and her husband have an investment portfolio worth $1 millionplus.
I manage a smile and a “That’s wonderful!,” but I was brought up to not mention such things. And yes, there is an air of superiority and self-satisfied smugness about her comment that does, I admit, rub me the wrong way.
Perhaps this is because I am 25 years younger, so I have not yet been able to amass near that amount. I am also single, and perhaps not as smart, capable or ambitious as her brainy husband. She, conversely, has never worked outside the home -- again, how lucky for her.
GENTLE READER: Whew. Feel better?
Yes, her behavior is rude, but as you point out, it may be all she has. While you still have 25 more years to catch up.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a 12-year-old niece, the child of my late brother. She has been adopted by my mother, so I asked my niece if she preferred me to introduce her as my niece or my sister.
She responded with the preference of being introduced as my sister. I have no concerns and will do that, but I am curious if there is a protocol or etiquette for this situation.
I am the youngest of three brothers, and genuinely excited to have a sister, even with the unfortunate circumstances that created the situation. Even so, I am in my mid-40s, and I see some interesting expressions from people when I introduce my 12-year-old sister.
GENTLE READER: You asked your sister what would please her and she told you. Now you both can be amused by others’ reactions as they scramble to do the math. Miss Manners assures you that you owe them no further explanation.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: When I invite guests to my home for dinner, most of them very kindly bring a hostess gift. However, I rarely receive a thank-you note.
Do people these days think a hostess gift (which I really don’t care to receive) is a replacement for a thoughtful, handwritten thank-you note?
GENTLE READER: Yes, they do. They also think it is a replacement for reciprocating the invitation.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: When we’re dining out, my husband sometimes blows his nose on a tissue after dinner, then puts the used tissue on his dirty plate to be cleared by the server.
I find this disgusting, and I remove the tissue and put it in my pocket or purse. If you agree that it’s disgusting, please give me the words to convince him to stop.
GENTLE READER: How about, “Please stop, dear. I find this disgusting”? It never fails to amaze Miss Manners when people believe that their spouses would behave better for her sake than for theirs. The consequences of offending Miss Manners at this distance are, unfortunately, slight. The consequences of disgusting one’s wife, whether or not one agrees with her premise, could be enormous.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is it proper for a couple on a date to sit next to each other on the same side of a booth in a restaurant to have dinner? My friend says that it is inappropriate and should never be done.
GENTLE READER: There are a great many things that Miss Manners can think of which couples should not do in restaurants. But sitting side by side is not one of them.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’ve participated in a local book club at my library for a few months. I’ve decided to leave the club due to the constant flow of personal experiences that are, at best, tangentially related to the book.
Do I need to tell the host, or can I just stop attending? Should I tell the host that I found the personal comments to be excessive? The rest of cont page 10
Astronomy
Looking UP
SKY REPORT
March April 17th–May 17th
The Evening Sky
A clear sky is needed.
In late April by the 25th, Venus will be brightly visible in the western sky by 8:30 PM shining through the half lit sky a half hour after the sunset at 8pm. Jupiter is still bright high in the southwestern sky as well
The Morning Sky
A cloudless eastern horizon sky is required. If you have a clear view of the southern horizon, look for the asterism that looks like a tea pot, this is the main body of the constellation of Sagittarius. You will need at least a good pair of binoculars to see some amazing sights. Among them is M8 the Lagoon Nebula, M20 The Trifid Nebula. A Telescope will bring out more detail. A digital telescope will bring out the colors of these nebula.
Night Sky Spectacle
A clear dark sky is a must. For those who have telescopes. Look to the Constellations of Virgo and Leo in the southeastern sky. Between them is a host of galaxies, they are faint. They have magnitudes of 10 or higher. Higher magnitude is fainter. A dark sky away from light pollution will be your best viewing friend. Most will still look like small faint fuzzies; higher magnification will bring out some of their detail. Two of the most prominent M99 and M100 could even appear in the same telescope view. Not far away (8°) to the left of M99 is M64 a galaxy at Magnitude of 9 so a bit brighter, it has a nickname of the blackeye galaxy, see if you can see why it has that nickname.
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.
MOON PHASES:
New Moon, Fri., April 17th
1st Quarter,Thurs., April 23rd
Full Moon: Fri., May 1st
3rdQuarter: Sat., May 9th
END OF TWILIGHT
When the brightest stars start to come out. Allow about an hour more to see a lot of stars.
Wed., April 15th • 8:30pm
Wed., April 22nd • 8:40pm
Wed., April 29th • 8:50pm
Wed., May 6th • 8:50pm
SUNSET
Wed., April 15th • 8:00pm
Wed., April 22nd • 8:09pm
Wed., April 29th • 8:19pm
Wed., May 6th • 8:28pm
EDITOR’S PICK FOR POETRY MONTH
When I Heard
the Learn’d Astronomer
By Walt Whitman
When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me, When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick, Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
Clatskanie Mini-Storage
Temperature conditioned units -15 sizes!
RV Storage • Boat Moorage Quality since 1976
On-site Manager
503-728-2051
503-369-6503
You’re invited to the CENTENNIAL
CELEBRATION
of the Clatskanie Cultural Center
75 S. Nehalem Street Clatskanie, Ore.
Saturday - Sunday, April 18-19
Both Days, 1–3pm: Welcoming remarks, historical commentary, tours, refreshments.
1:30–3pm Saturday
Piano music by Clark Mallory 3pm Sat. Performance by Timberbound 3pm Sunday, Performance by Community/CMHS choirs
Free admission • Public welcome
In celebration of the building’s 100 years of service, the Clatskanie Foundation is restoring a marquee to the exterior facade. Donations to the marquee project are invited. More information will be available at the Centennial Celebration, or contact Elsa Wooley, elsawooley1@gmail.com or 503-338-9770.
June thru Sept, 10 – 2 except for festivals
Writers and poets to convene in Clatskanie
2026 Theme: “Yes, work. The going to what lasts.”
The Clatskanie Raymond Carver Writing Festival will be held on May 9, featuring a great lineup of readings from regional writers, a writing workshop, a book fair, and participatory events like Parking Lot Poetry, Steal Time to Write, and the Poetry and Pie open mic. Participants can enjoy a full day of immersion in poetry, storytelling, and generative writing in downtown Clatskanie.
Featured Presenter: Alice Derry Alice Derry will be the featured reader at the Festival’s opening reception at the Clatskanie Cultural Center’s Birkenfeld Theatre (9:30–11:30am). Alice was born in Oregon and raised in Washington and Montana. Derry received her M.F.A. from Goddard College (now Warren Wilson College) as well as an M.A. in English from The American University in Washington, D.C.
Alice’s debut poetry collection, Stages of Twilight (1986), was selected for the King County Arts Publication Award by Raymond Carver. A long time resident of Port Angeles, Washington, Alice also has a family connection to
Clatskanie — her parents met while teaching at Clatskanie Middle High School!
Derry has published six volumes of poetry and three chapbooks, most recently, Asking (MoonPath Press 2022). Her new manuscript is titled Embraces. During 30 years teaching at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Wash., she curated the Foothills Writers Series and helped initiate and host a writer-in-residence program. With artist Fred Sharpe, she has produced three volumes on native plants of the Olympic Peninsula. Derry and colleague Kate Reavey currently facilitate a workshop for Native writers on Zoom.
Festival line up also includes: Craig Brandis, Jon Broderick, Gary Copeland Lilley, Janet Ebert, Tess Gallagher, Marj Hogan, Robert Michael Pyle, and Florence Sage.
The event takes place at the Clatskanie Cultural Center/Birkenfeld Theatre, Clatskanie Library, Fultano’s Pizza, and other local venues.
For more details and schedule of events, visit clatskaniearts.org.
Friends of Skamokawa Annual Spring Tea
Friends of Skamokawa presents its 4th Annual Spring Tea Event, May 2nd at 1pm at the River Life Interpretive Center / Redmen Hall, 1394 W. State Rout 4, in Skamokawa.
Wear your Spring hat, win a raffle gift and door prizes and enjoy a festive tea party. Parking and shuttle service is available from Skamokawa Resort to The Interpretive Center. This is a fun event and fills up fast. Reservations with payment are needed as seating is limited. The cost is $30 per person.
Reserve seats by calling 360-7953007, Tuesdays or Thursdays between 10-2.
More info: www.friendsofskamokawa.org email fos1894@gmail.com.
NOTES FROM MY LIVES
By Andre Stepankowsky
LChatbot with a corkscrew?
Don’t let AI sap your chance to make — even revel in — your mistakes
ike most headlines about AI, this one from The New York Times scared and saddened me.
“AI Is Coming for the Sommeliers” explored whether chatbots can offer better wine advice than restaurants’ trained and certified wine professionals. I’m not really an avid or knowledgeable wine drinker, and I know that expert advice about chateau so-and-so or vintage x is readily available through books and publications such as “Wine Spectator.”
However, by putting information at my fingertips, artificial intelligence can instantly suggest what wines would best go with my meal and rank them by price range. Experts might quibble with the advice, but AI takes the guesswork and risk out of the choice for novices like me.
But it also takes something away: The joy of making discoveries on my own — and the opportunity to fail. Mistakes and screw-ups are lamentable, but they are also memorable. This is what makes them such effective teachers, portals into learning about what works and what doesn’t.
Remember the story about inventor Thomas Edison? He viewed failure as essential to learning: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work,” he famously said.
We learn as much from failure as we learn from success. When I was in college, I helped my friend Pete rebuild the engine on his Datsun. It exploded a few weeks later as we were motored down the New Jersey Turnpike. We still laugh about the whole costly mechanical failure 50 years later. I learned a ton about automotive engineering from the experience because we did the work ourselves and were willing to take a chance.
We should resist allowing AI to defuse the risk of any endeavor and of robbing us of our own decision-making quest for knowledge. The chance for flopping is inherent in the work of writers,
artists, dancers, engineers, gardeners, politicians, plumbers, programmers and all human endeavor.
Risk accompanies and is necessary to experience the joy of creation and learning. We take more satisfaction from achievements earned through our own toil than ones handed to us through AI. This is one reason students should never ask AI to write a term paper. It’s why I never purchase one of those pre-planned garden layouts. I want to learn for myself which plants work and which don’t — and to take credit for when a planting succeeds. When I think of AI, I often harken back to that line from the film Jurassic Park: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could (create dinosaurs) that they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
AI cannot be un-invented. It’s here to stay. However, we need not surrender to it our very basic need to experiment, explore and stumble.
Award-winning journalist Andre 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.
Crisp in your hands Doesn’t break if you drop it
Hand-crafted page-by-page
Old-school standards
Human intelligence
Made with love
A month of enjoyment
No fake news
Lewis & Clark
DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL
AEPISODE 24
Champing at the Bit Backfires
s described in the last episode, the Corps was anxious to start their homeward journey after spending more than four months at the mouth of the Columbia. While they knew snow in the Rocky Mountains would be a major obstacle and, thus, planned to leave on April 1, 1806, they left two weeks early, hoping to escape the dismally wet conditions at Fort Clatsop. That was a mistake, since the spring salmon run they had counted on was late and, therefore, no fish were available from the Indians at The Dalles. The men spent two weeks camped across from the Sandy River to obtain enough meat to make the trip to the Nez Perce villages in Idaho.
Anyone got a snowplow?
When they reached the Nez Perce villages in early May, they were pleased to find their horses still there. However, the Indians told them it would be at least a month before they could cross the pass due to deep snow. So the next six weeks were spent waiting. Everyone was concerned about the delay, since they wanted to get back to St. Louis that year, and a long delay might mean having to spend another winter at Fort Mandan in North Dakota.
On the road again!
Finally, on June 15, they started the dreaded journey across the Rockies. The Indians told them it was still too early, but as Lewis wrote, “every body seems anxious to be in motion.” Clark
By Michael O. Perry
wrote, “I Shudder with the expectation with great dificuelties in passing those Mountains.” They knew it could take a week to make the crossing. If the snow still covered everything, there would be no grass for the 65 horses, and without the horses they were doomed. A day later, as the horses grazed in a meadow surrounded by snow five feet deep, they realized they had left too soon. Still, they proceeded on another day and found the snow was ten feet deep and the trail was buried.
Benumbed and bewildered
Lewis wrote, “here was winter with all it’s rigors; the air was cold, my hands and feet were benumbed. We knew that it would require five days to reach… Colt Creek… short of that point we could not hope for any food for our horses as the whole was covered many feet deep in snow. If we proceeded and should get bewildered in these mountains the certainity was that we should loose our horses and… we should be so fortunate to escape with life.”
Decision time
That same day, Lewis wrote, “we therefore came to the resolution to return with our horses while they were yet strong and in good order and indevour to… procure an Indian to conduct us over the snowey mountains… knowing from the appearance of the snows that if we remained until it had desolved sufficiently for us to follow the road
that we should not be enabled to return to the United States within this season.” Thus, they began a “retrograde march,” after placing most of their supplies in an overhead cache made of poles hung between trees. The only things left to trade with the Indians were their guns.
A week later, under promise of two rifles, some Nez Perce guides were hired and the journey began again, three months after leaving Fort Clatsop.
Early Fourth of July
On June 25, Lewis wrote, “the Indians entertained us with seting the fir trees on fire. They have a great number of dry lims near their bodies which when set on fire creates a very suddon and immence blaze from the bottom to top of those tall trees… This exhibition reminded me of a display of fireworks. The natives told us that their object…was to bring fair weather for our journey.”
Adieu to the snow
The Indians knew where to find meadows on south-facing slopes that would be clear of snow and thus provide new-grown grass for the horses. While the snow was still many feet deep, it was solid enough for horses to walk on without sinking in more than a few inches most of the time. However, once in a while the snow would not support a horse and
it would sink in to its belly. Finally, on June 29, they “bid adieu to the snow,” and a day later reached Lolo Hot Springs. The men spent the next two days relaxing and recovering from the hard journey.
Divide and conquer
Before leaving Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark had made plans for the return trip. They wanted to explore different routes, so on July 3 the party split up. Captain Clark, along with Sacajawea and most of the party, went up the Bitterroot River, back to Camp Fortunate where they had found Sacajawea’s tribe the previous year. However, this time nobody was to be found, since the Indians had gone east to hunt buffalo.
Sgt. Ordway “caches” in Clark’s group continued down the Jefferson River until reaching Three Forks on July 13. At that point, Sgt. Ordway and a detachment recovered the canoes they had cached the previous year and went down the Missouri River to Great Falls. There they would retrieve the material cached in 1805, and then continue on down the Missouri to meet up with Captain Lewis.
Clark moseys to Bozeman… Clark took the rest of the party up the Gallatin River to present-day Bozeman,
cont page 10
Five years ago, we introdUced a revised version oF Michael Perry’s popular series which had begun with CRR’s April 15, 2004 inaugural issue and was reprised three times and then expanded In the book, Dispatches from the Discovery Trail, edited by Hal Calbom and published by CRRPress. It includes an in-depth author interview and new illustrations and commentary.
Anxious to escape the dismally-wet Fort Clatsop, the Expedition met frustration on the “dry side” of the Cascade Mountains. They were eager to give up their canoes for horses.
… in an overhead cache …
The Expedition learned the technique of “caching” excess gear and supplies from the French Canadian “engages,” (hired hands), many of whom they’d met and engaged, along with Charbonneau, at the Mandan Villages. Pierre Cruzatte was often given the responsibility of directing the work. Typically, caches were underground, beginning with a hole around two feet in diameter, which was systematically widened and deepened, then filled with heavy baggage and excess supplies to be picked up later. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason the structures didn't all meet Cruzatte's assurances. The cache at the mouth of the Marias River collapsed, ruining most of the contents, which included souvenir furs belonging to Lewis and some of the men, as well as many other personal possessions. The cache at the upper portage camp at the Falls of the Missouri was damaged by spring floodwaters that destroyed all of the plant specimens Lewis had collected between Fort Mandan and the Great Falls.
Miss Manners from page 5
the group does not seem to mind the personal comments, as many attendees contribute to the format.
GENTLE READER: Rather than saying that members should be discussing literature, not their personal lives, could you just say that the club was not the right fit for you?
Miss Manners doubts that you need to say either -- only that you find you can no longer attend. But please do not criticize the other members. They are enjoying the club the way it is, and relating books to personal experiences is not an intellectual crime. Nor is having a book club that is more social than studious, although it does not suit you.
Perhaps the librarian can steer you to a more academically oriented club.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I went to a dry cleaner’s, paid up-front for my items and was told they would be ready by 4 p.m. on Friday. So on Friday at 4 p.m., I went to pick up my dry cleaning. The lady asked me if I had received a text. I
said “no,” but I could see my items and pointed them out to her. She said that I had to wait for a text, but I kept explaining that my items were right in front of her.
This dry cleaner is 30 minutes from my house, so I didn’t want to come back. I insisted that my items were right there, and she finally gave them to me and I left. Was I wrong to insist on picking up my items at that time? Should I have left and waited for the lady to text me? She was busy doing other things, but there were no other customers in the store at that time.
I will not go back, no matter what your position is. As I was leaving, another lady said I needed to have better manners, thus my inquiry.
GENTLE READER: Your logic is sound. But whether or not you used good manners in expressing it is not as clear. Actually, it is.
Even when justified, one still must be polite: “I’m sure you understand why it is not reasonable for me to leave and come back again when I am here at the prescribed time and I can see that my clothes are ready” is perfectly polite, if said in a measured tone of voice.
“I’m lookin’ at them with my own darn eyes, you gobdaw ninny!” -- not so much. cont page 26
from page 9
Montana, and followed Sacajawea’s directions to Bozeman Pass, leading to the Yellowstone River. Everyone planned to meet at the junction of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers.
…while Lewis goes to Great Falls
With the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, President Jefferson bought all the land that drained into the Missouri. Thus, knowing the Missouri River’s northernmost tributary was important, Captain Lewis wanted to see where the Marias River’s headwaters were. He and nine men took the Indian’s overland route from Lolo Pass to Great Falls. Six men were left at Great Falls to make carts and help portage the canoes.Sgt. Gass’s detachment would bring down the Missouri. On July 11 Lewis took three men and headed north to find the headwaters of the Marias River.
Next episode, we will learn more about that deadly journey.
CELEBRATE
Biz Buzz
What’s Happening Around the River
Biz Buzz notes news in local business and professional circles. As space allows, we include news of innovations, improvements, new ventures and significant employee milestones of interest to readers. Please email to publisher@crreader.com
Discover Kalama on Foot!
DMaryAlice Wallis
Former Longview City Councilmember and Longview mayor MaryAlice Wallis was recently named the new director of The Health Care Foundation, a non-profit that funds programs and services relating to health and wellness, emergency services, and nutrition, to benefit residents within the service area of “the Longview, Washington acute care hospital.”
Since its beginning in 1985, the Foundation has distributed more than $13 million to local health care organizations . Ms. Wallis replaces Mary Jane Melink, who served in the position for 25 years.
Jeremy Hipes
Jeremy Hipes was recently named new executive director of Columbia 9-1-1 Communications District. He began his career in 2000 as a dispatcher at the District. He has already made progress in collaboration with other officials and agencies to reform Columbia 9-1-1, strengthen partnerships, and enhance service to local communities. The District is governed by publicly-elected Board of Directors representing communities across Columbia County.
EXPLORE LEARN LINGER
owntown Kalama’s new Historic Walking Tour is officially open. Fifteen sleek aluminum “History Blades” have been installed on existing streetlight poles, turning a simple stroll into a self-guided journey through more than 150 years of local stories.
Each blade features a pair of historic photos, a concise narrative, and wayfinding arrows directing visitors toward the amenities on the waterfront. A unique QR code on every sign instantly connects to the free Discover Kalama companion app (and the new discoverkalama. com website), delivering expanded, ADA-accessible content.
Part of the larger Discover Kalama tourism initiative, the blades bridge the divide created by Interstate-5 and invite locals and visitors alike to explore, learn, and linger downtown. Whether you’re a longtime resident or first-time guest, grab your phone, scan a blade, and experience Kalama’s past and present in one unforgettable walk. Download the app or visit discoverkalama.com to start your tour today!
Port of Kalama news briefs provided by Dan Polacek, Legislative/Public Relations Administrator
Outdoor Recreation Complex 3101 S Hillhurst Rd, Ridgefield, WA 98642
our
After more than a year of planning, construction and fundraising, PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center officially cut the ribbon on the new True Beam Linear Accelerator in the radiation oncology department.
TRUSTED
Thank You
PeaceHealth’s Lower Columbia Cancer Center is the sole provider of radiation oncology services, delivering more than 6,000 treatments annually in Cowlitz County. On any given day, 25-30 individuals receive treatment at the facility. The existing Linear
For choosing local and voting Cowlitz County Title “Silver Winner Title/Escrow Company in Southwest Washington”
Accelerator was outdated and increasingly inadequate for today’s treatment standards.
The new state-of-the-art True Beam Linear Accelerator enhances the team’s ability to manage complex cases involving tumors in hard-to-reach areas such as the brain, spine, lungs, breast and abdomen. This technology will improve treatment accuracy and patient comfort by delivering precise, high-speed and targeted radiation therapy. Without an advanced Linear Accelerator in Cowlitz County, patients would be forced to drive hours a day for treatment. Daily travel can be
difficult for patients and their families, especially when already experiencing the side effects of their treatments. This project was funded in large part by community support and philanthropic giving. $5 million of the $7 million project cost came from donors across the community who recognized the value in keeping quality care close to home. PeaceHealth invested an additional $2 million to complete the project.
The radiation oncology team planned to begin treating patients with the new machine in March.
A blessing and ribbon cutting was held in March, commemorating the caregivers and community members who contributed to bringing new technology to ensure Cowlitz County has the best cancer care available.
GLIMPSES OF HISTORY
By Dennis Weber
Rainier man recalls early days
Afew years ago, I became acquainted with Duane Bernard, one of the Rainier Historical Museum champions. I’ve enjoyed his stories about growing up in rural Rainier.
At the end of the Great Depression in 1939, Duane moved with his folks to Apiary Road, west of Rainier. He remembers how his father had dug a well by hand and used a gas engine to pump the water up to a storage tank. “We then had gravity fed water for about a week. Mother used a Briggs and Stratton gasoline-powered washing machine on the back porch.”
Duane walked a mile and a half daily each way to attend Apiary School. “It was not too uncommon to encounter a small herd of cows” along the way. But once while in first grade, he saw a bobcat cross the road in front of him. “Talk about scared,” he shared.
Duane’s mom finally arranged for him to ride a school bus to Hudson School, several miles away.
Logging has really changed, too. Duane remembers the huge logs -- trucks usually hauled only one to three logs at a time. When he was only 14, a neighbor offered him a job helping to “fall” timber. He was excited to work with someone who owned a McCulloch chain saw.
Duane mentioned roaming around on long-abandoned railroad beds originally built to haul logs to mills or “cigar raft’ assembly areas. Benson Lumber (a big Portland company) ran tracks to Clatskanie, dumping logs where the old Hump’s Restaurant stands today. Another company’s tracks ended up dumping logs in Vernonia Lake. The ClarkWilson Company tracks ended at its Prescott mill.
Dennis Weber, retired Longview mayor, is an award-winning writer of local history, and works through Friends of Longview, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to enhance appreciation for Longview’s history and development.
Duane shares many more stories in “Recollections,” a book available for sale at the new Rainier History Museum, open 12–4pm Friday and Saturday afternoons at 700 A Street, in Rainier.
TMoments that Made Us Western states’ localized exhibits mark U.S. 250th
anniversary
Story
& photos by
Joseph Govednik, Director, Cowlitz County Historical Museum
his year marks the 250th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom, with events and activities scheduled throughout the year to celebrate this milestone of our nation.
Along with nationwide events, the State of Washington has its own America 250 committee, and Cowlitz County and the Cowlitz County Historical Museum are statewide partners. Recently the Cowlitz Museum opened its newest exhibit, “Moments That Made Us,” created by a partnership of several western state historical organizations. This exhibit walks visitors through the many “moments” of American history that formed our nation, all tied into themes of our Declaration of Independence.
The exhibit was designed so that historical societies and museums throughout the western United States could connect to the American Revolution via our Declaration of Independence. Although the revolutionary war was not fought in our region, we are the inheritors of the legacy of the Declaration of Independence, and the freedoms
and system of government outlined in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Each museum that shows “Moments That Made Us” has done so with their own custom elements.
In the case of the Cowlitz County Historical Society, we chose to add panels with stories of people who came to Cowlitz County in the past 250 years. Some of the stories are about groups of people, such as Finnish or Japanese immigrants, some are individual stories, such as Victoria Freeman and Able Ostrander. Each story weaves together to become part of the mosaic that makes Cowlitz County what it is today.
We are fortunate to include some loaned items that date as far back as the American Revolution, such as an authentic Brown Bess musket, along with objects that tell the story of migration to America. We welcome you to come see this new exhibit this year — after all, you only turn 250 years old once!
Cowlitz County Historical Museum is operated in partnership between Cowlitz County and the Cowlitz County Historical Society. See “If You Go” details, above
IF YOU GO
“Moments that Made Us”
Cowlitz County Historical Museum
304 Allen Street, Kelso, Wash.
Open Tues–Sat, 10–4 Free Admission
VISITOR CENTERS
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. Pacific County Museum & Visitor Center Hwy 101, South Bend, Wash. 360-875-5224
• Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau 3914 Pacific Way (corner Hwy 101/Hwy 103) Long Beach, Wash. 360-642-2400 • 800-451-2542
• Ocean Park Area Chamber of Commerce 1715 Bay Ave., #1, Ocean Park, Wash.
• South Columbia County Chamber Columbia Blvd/Hwy 30, St. Helens, Ore • 503-397-0685
Large oil paintings by Featured Guest Artist Maureen O’Hara
Nibbles, New Art Live Music by Freelance Mix the-broadway-gallery.com
Gifts, Artisan Cards, Books & Treasures
1418 Commerce, Longview, Wash. Tues-Sat 11–4 In Historic Downtown Longview Your Local SW Washington Artist Co-op since 1982
Mount St. Helens Club
(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.)
BRUNCH FAVE HIKES
(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
April 15 – Wed Astoria Riverwalk (E)
Drive 100 miles RT. Walk a level, paved path out and back 5 miles total. Leader: Melanie F. 907-351-8741
April 17 - Fri Triple Falls (M)
Drive 154 miles RT Hike 5.1 miles RT with 1,168’ e.g. Moderate hike with views of Pony Falls, Horsetail Falls, Middle and Upper Oneonta Falls and ends at Triple Falls – all spectacular. The trail parallels and gives view of the steep gorge formed by Oneonta Creek. The trail is well maintained but a little rocky in sections. Some sections of the trail run next to steep drop-offs. People fearful of heights might have concerns. OREGON STATE PARKING PERMIT REQUIRED.
Leader: John M, 907-351-8741.
April 22 – Wed
Kalama Waterfront (E)
Drive 20 miles RT. Walk through town and over to the waterfront for 3+ miles RT on level path along Columbia River. Leader: John R. 360-431-1122
April 25 – Sat
Gatton/Wright’s Canyon (M)
Drive 90 miles RT. Hike 6.1 miles on Wright’s Canyon loop with 715’ e.g. through deep, old growth cedar forest adjacent to Lake Quinault. Leader: Bruce M. 360-425-0256
April 29 – Wed Lake to Lake Trail Loop via Lacamas Creek (M)
Drive 100 miles RT, Hike 5 miles with 600’ e.g. through fields of cannas lilies in full bloom, circle Round Lake, and hike along Lacamas Creek. Leader: Dory N. 213-820-1014
CELEBRATING LIFE IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER REGION SUPPORTING LOCAL JOURNALISM SPOTLIGHTING COMMUNITY CAUSES
May 2 – Sat
Lake Sacajawea (E)
Walk 4 miles on flat ground around the whole lake or any portion for a shorter walk. **This walk is designed for ‘super seniors’ and/or people with physical limitations at a slow pace.** Leader: Susan S. 360-4309914
May 6 - Wed
Vedanta Society Retreat (E)
Drive 70 miles RT. Hike approximately 3 miles with 200’ e.g. on a myriad of trails past nine different religious shrines. Leaders: Josie W. 360-353-3135; Bruce M. 360425-0256
May 9 – Sat Lewis River Falls (S)
Drive 160 miles RT to Lower Falls trailhead. Hike 8.8 miles RT with 450’ e.g. through old-growth forest past Middle Falls to Upper Falls. Leader: Charles R. 360-751-0098
May 13 - Wed
Steigerwald Refuge (E)
Drive 129 miles RT. Hike 6.5 miles on loop trail with little e.g. on level gravel path near the Columbia River. Leader: John R. 360-431-1122
May 16 - Sat
Falls Creek Falls (M)
Drive 200 miles RT. Hike a 6.2 mile loop with 1279’ e.g. to view the magnificent Falls Creek Falls. A $10 DAY PASS, OR A NW FOREST PASS, OR AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL PASS IS REQUIRED FOR EACH VEHICLE.
Leader: Dory N. 213-820-1014. Leader: John M. 360-508-0878
We appreciate our sponsors: The Evans Kelly Family • Columbia Steel Services, Inc Weatherguard, Inc • Cowlitz PUD • Joe Fischer 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.
Sacajawea Park - Martin Dock, Longview, Wash.
A meaningful community event hosted by the Keigan Baker Memorial Foundation, formed after the tragic death of A1C Combat Controller Keigan Baker. The Foundation keeps Keigan’s legacy alive by supportingand serving others with the same passion and commitment, and assisting individuals and organizations impacted by military service and loss.
A monthly feature written and photographed by Southwest Washington native and Emmy Award-winning journalist Hal Calbom
Production notes
Go West
Head East
In this month’s People+Place we range from country gardens, though international sister cities, across thousands of years of history.
We consider this our Pacific Century.
In the 1920s, R.A. Long and his lieutenants well knew they were leaving the Eastern United States behind. But did they consider that eventually they might also be entering an entirely new world and creating a new marketplace — the exotic territories of the Pacific Islands and Asia?
Today, we are looking beyond an Atlanticcentered, Europe-connected society toward a new culture, facing the setting, not the rising sun.
Our cultural influences now include pot stickers and teriyaki chicken, as well as Beef Wellington and Boston Cream Pie.
I wonder if we even realize this has happened so quickly and dramatically. As we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th Year, how much of what we trot out will be “old school” — the remnants of the Colonies and our nostalgia for things English, looking wistfully back across the Atlantic in a kind of Ken Burns cultural time warp.
Like something out of Lao Tse or Confucius, our view to the East reveals fits and starts in our relationships with Asia — orient versus occident, ancient versus modern, rival versus partner, enemy versus friend — all now heightened in the dramatic last hundred years.
And, as a Longview kid who grew up down the block, I wonder what Dr. H.H. Minthorn thought, boarding a ship prior to World War II, headed into this stillmysterious Pacific.
Could he have known that the artifacts he accumulated on his trip, and later on many others, would illuminate these relationships and help us find our place in the Pacific? And that his legacy would instruct and inspire later generations, bringing the wide world back to his hometown?
people+place
Tea with Venus Chinese Scholar’s
Photos and story by Hal Calbom
Garden is infused genius
Here even a cup of tea is steeped with significance. It’s not fussiness. It’s not Zen. It’s just being Chinese — a grand fusion of historical experience, a wild diversity of ethnic and cultural traditions, and a seat-of-the-pants pragmatism and worldliness.
In their longevity alone, over 3,500 years of social and cultural continuity, the Chinese have outstripped the world and its history in the business of living.
Their Scholar’s Gardens have inspired and nurtured that legacy.
We are greeted graciously. Venus Sun, Lan Su Chinese Garden historian, brews us a welcome cup of tea and offers shelter from the winter wind outside.
“If you’re having tea with me you’re having Oolong,” she laughed, busying herself with cups, saucers, cakes and pots of hot water.
Our refuge is the authentic Tea House at the Garden’s center. Named Yun Shui, “Clouds and Water,” it honors the truly special relationship between Portland and its Sister City, Suzhou, the symbiosis that inspired, created and maintains Lan Su.
THE ENTIRE CITY BLOCK IS A FAITHFUL RE-CREATION OF THE CLASSICAL CHINESE SCHOLAR’S GARDEN
The entire city block, in Portland’s Old Town Chinatown District, is a faithful re-creation of the classical Chinese Scholar’s Garden, hand-built by Suzhou artisans and reposing there for the last 25 years.
Venus Sun
“Welcome to our Scholar’s Garden 101,” said Venus. “This is one of only eight of them in the entire United States. By contrast, there are over 300 Japanese Gardens in this country,” she added, “so we spend a lot of our time just explaining what’s different.”
The Great Civilization Revised China’s modern history — dissolution of the dynastic system in the 1900s, communist takeover and hard-line rule, vigorous competition for world economic and military dominance — tends to overshadow and distort its cultural continuity.
Even modern Chinese share more historical touchstones than just Tiananmen Square and Mao’s Little Red Book.
“My parents came to Taiwan from the mainland in 1949, well before I was born,” said Venus. “I got a very classical education, because they, and most Taiwanese, were always sure they were ‘going back’ in a matter of years, and Chinese culture would be whole again.”
That has not happened.
CHINA’S MODERN HISTORY TENDS TO OVERSHADOW ITS CULTURAL CONTINUITY
Caught between worlds, Venus considers her job at Lan Su life-changing, helping her reconcile her classical education with dramatic 21st-century changes in both mainland China and Taiwan.
“For my first 20 years of my life I continued to feel very much out of place,” she said, “because my peers did not focus on the same things that my parents stressed. Now we really have to focus on more modern times, to balance this new identity with our traditional identity. Right now, I feel like we are in the midst of very Taiwanese times.”
In a recent social media post she thanked her Lan Su colleagues and Portland neighbors:
“The last few years have been crazy, lifechanging, and incredibly rewarding. I still remember my first day at Lan Su as a volunteer,” she wrote. “Thank you for embracing a weird, nerdy girl from Taiwan and helping her to turn some of her wildest childhood dreams into reality.”
Scholars describe the “scholar’s garden” as more structural and less meditative, a place of learning. Above right: Lan Su associates regularly host groups eager to try their hand at Chinese calligraphy, which has its own styles and idioms.
Taiwanese Times
A Walk Through History
Fortified and warmed, we circulate through the Garden. Multiple paths thread through to present a succession of scenes: The effect is more functional and architectural than meditative, a key difference between the Chinese and Japanese traditions.
“Even though we have ‘garden’ in our name, this is much more than a botanical garden,” explained Venus’s colleague Lilly Joynes. “The scholar’s garden tradition started about a thousand years ago,” she said. “They were havens for artists, poets, musicians, philosophers, anything you could think of.”
The Garden is a place of learning from and harmonizing with both the natural world — rocks, plants, water — and the world of human endeavor — poetry, music, art, politics and culture.
IMAGINE A SCHOLAR’S GARDEN LIKE A COUNTRY VILLA IN RENAISSANCE ITALY
JOIN THE CELEBRATION!
Ukulele Club Centennial Recital
Fri, April 24 | 2 PM
The LPL Ukulele Club performs songs from the past 100 years!
100th Birthday Party
Sat, April 25 | 10 AM
Celebrate with birthday cake, displays of the Library’s history & more.
•10 AM: Remarks and refreshments
•10:30 AM: Gifts to the Library from community members
•11 AM: Special guest, author Bethany Bennett
The Evans Kelly Family
one of longview’s pioneer faMilies
Proud Sponsor of People+Place
“Imagine a Scholar’s Garden like a country villa in Renaissance Italy,” said Venus. “This is where the government officials were trained and schooled, and then schooled others. They were hubs for the arts and the disciplines of scholarship.”
Think of a cross between Plato’s Academy and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, the architecture of human thought and the lessons of the natural world intertwined.
Hands and Minds Across the Water
Portland chose its Sister City relationship well. Suzhou is often called the “Venice of China” and boasts canals, lush gardens, cultural institutions and robust economics. And it is decidedly a big sister — Suzhou is China’s tenth-largest city, with a population of around nine million people, and still the cultural epicenter of Eastern China.
The formal agreement between the two cities was signed by then-mayor Bud Clark in 1988. Typical of the businesslike Chinese, the official annals of the event list more than simply a polite transplanting of a few native plants:
…mutual cooperation between the two cities, including reciprocal efforts to promote tourism, a joint project to build a classical Chinese garden in Portland with technical help from Suzhou, sharing of technology on sewage treatment and other hydrological problems, economic cooperation and technical exchanges, product exhibitions, a television production using US technology to promote the charms of Suzhou, and cultural and educational exchanges.
- Portland-Suzhou Sister City Association
We 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
We thank The Boeing Company for matching its retirees’ gifts.
Proud Sponsor of People+Place
from page 19
In November 1999, 65 artisans arrived in Portland from Suzhou — with two chefs in tow — and began building Lan Su Chinese Garden from the ground up.
Plants, artifacts, even the paving stones — which are placed on edge so they give a massage to a barefoot walker — came from Suzhou and were each placed with great care.
“The Chinese garden is like a home compound” said Lilly Joynes, “a kind of homestead.”
Suzhou was and is the epicenter of this tradition in China, Venus explained. “There were more than 200 scholar’s gardens in the area of Suzhou,” she said, “and 69 of them survived the Cultural Revolution. Suzhou is very similar to Florence in the Renaissance, but on this side of the world.”
CHINA REVERES BOTH OLD TRADITIONS AND NEW TRENDS
The Business of Learning
During our visit, school groups wound their way from scene to scene on the sculpted paths. The Garden sponsors and supports some 500 interactive events a year. We visited one “classroom” where visiting students translated and drew and painted Chinese characters. Thanks to its secular tradition of Confucianism, the Chinese are a practical people. The Lan Su rooms, hallways and plazas have instructive, not just decorative, purposes. They are less mystical and contemplative, it’s said, than the Indians or Japanese, for instance. And they are immensely practical: Their sacred truths might be said to reside as much in the gift shop as the tea house.
“You had to be a scholar to be a government official,” said Venus. “That’s why generations of Chinese parents still want their kids to study hard and to become doctors, or businessmen or lawyers.”
Lan Su boasts a considerable membership and strong community support. Longview native Elisabeth Minthorn is a member and her family are donors to Lan Su.
“In the Asian tradition I’ve studied, the oral tradition is just as strong as the written,” she said. “If you want to study gardening, you really need a mentor or a teacher, more than a book. The classical Chinese garden is influenced by classical styles. It is not one size fits all; it is continuous and ever-changing.”
Intersecting Timeless with Time
China reveres both old traditions and new trends. From Confucius to computers, the Chinese have shown the rest of the world the way — they’re now building the robots that build the robots, for example — with a culture that’s been both chaotic and continuous.
Their cultural homogeneity — based, ingeniously, on its many diversities — is remarkable and instructive. But, of course, they’ve had more time to perfect this system. Or survive it. Suzhou has just celebrated its 2,500th year!
To experience both worlds, visit Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden.
IF YOU GO
Lan Su Chinese Garden 239 NW Everett Street, Portland, Ore. 503-228-8131 • lansugarden.org
Open year-round. Summer hours thru Oct 10am–6:30pm (last admission 6pm)
Admission: Adults $18; Seniors/Students $17; Youth $15; Under 5 Free
Yun Shui Teahouse and the Garden Shop on-site
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
•Magnolia Festival through April 26. Floral displays, the magnolia’s meaning in Chinese art and literature, tours, hands-on activities for all ages
•Garden Tea Tastings with Hannah Ma, weekends thru May 31
•Steep & Paint Workshop Series immersive afternoon with tea tasting, plant exploration, guided botanical art. For more info or to book: lansugarden.org
Hal Calbom, a third-generation Longview native and author of Empire of Trees: America’s Planned City and the Last Frontier, produces CRR’s People+Place monthly feature, and is CRRPress associate publisher.
Top left photo: Venus Sun shares a moment with member and family donor Elisabeth Minthorn. At left: Seasonal display(s), such as this elaborate dragon crafted to celebrate the recent Lunar New Year, keep the garden experience timely and fresh.
Lower Columbia College hosts family’s magnificent, prized collection
Elisabeth Minthorn remembers her physician father as fascinated with what was then known as “The Far East.”
“Dad was in his thirties when he came to Portland from Minneapolis,” she said, “and interned as a doctor at Good Samaritan Hospital.”
Later, the young physician boarded a ship bound into the Pacific prior to World War II.
Among the many experiences and mementos he brought back was a model of a Chinese junk that sits today in the Minthorn Gallery at Lower Columbia College.
“Mother said she never tasted rice until she married dad,” recalled Elisabeth. “She was from Chicago. But they spent a lot of time in San Francisco and loved the Chinatown there.”
Thanks to Elisabeth’s advocacy for Lan Su Chinese Garden, the two collections complement each other
and the Minthorns have welcomed historian Venus Sun as their own interpreter and liaison.
“I’m so thrilled every time I see the Minthorn Collection!” said Venus, “It’s exciting to view and show.”
The Minthorn International Art Gallery, a gift to the community from Dr. and Mrs. H.H. Minthorn via Lower Columbia College Foundation, exhibits a wide range of styles and is displayed in the upper level of the Forsberg Gallery in LCC Rose Center for the Arts, open M-Th 10–3, during Forsberg Gallery exhibitions. Free admission..
Dr. & Mrs. H.H. Minthorn
Clematis: KLEM-a tis or kle-MAT-is (both are correct)
How do we prune them?
Story and photos* by
Nancy Chennault
Gardeners who may want to add vertical summer blooms of clematis this year: New shipments are arriving at garden centers now. You really shouldn’t have to worry too much about pruning any newlyplanted clematis for 2026. However, during subsequent years, to keep them blooming during their season, you’ll want to follow these pruning guidelines.
Clematis pruning: Simple as 1-2-3 Look on the identification tag of the clematis you just purchased. One of these numbers should be on the label. Or perhaps A-B-C. Older clematis with no label are easy to identify as one of the types by the season of bloom. Don’t prune this spring, but wait until you see them bloom. Then label them accordingly, 1-2 or 3 and you will know what to do each late winter/early spring.
1.Do they bloom only in the spring?
(These would be #1 or A). The Evergreen Clematis “Armandi,” with its long blade leaves and clusters of fragrant white flowers would be a #1. “Montana” (photo, below), another spring bloomer, a vigorous vine that can cover a garden shed in a couple of seasons, will begin blooming around the first of May. When planted at the base of a tree, the “Montana” will climb into the branches and give the illusion that the ‘host’ tree is in full bloom. Once these spring bloomers have faded, they can be cut back to 5 or 6 feet to force new growth and control size. It will be on this growth that buds will form for the following spring. Or it can be left alone. If downsizing is needed, then you will need to bring it back within bounds with pruning after the blooms have faded.
2. The next group of clematis bloom in late spring on old wood, and then later in the summer on new wood.
These are known as 2 or B. These are for the dedicated clematis grower because they take a little more maintenance pruning each season. However, if you begin when they are young, the procedure makes more sense and can be kept tidy easily. Your reward? Two distinct seasons of bloom. The early blossoms are usually larger than the later blooms. Quite often, double clematis’s secondary blooms will be single. See Daniel Deronda photo, above.
*except where noted
For ideas and inspiration
•A good garden to visit is The Rogerson Clematis Garden, located at Luscher Farm, 125 Rosemont Road, West Linn, Oregon. Visit throughout the seasons to see all the types of clematis in bloom during their prime.
•For a deep dive “online” into incredible clematis that will have you wanting more, visit Donahue’s Clematis Specialists’ website: donahuesclematis.com/shop/
Be sure to watch for those early buds and bloom on the growth generated last summer. Don’t prune back for size of shape until after these have faded. The new growth that comes from these cuts will have the second cycle of bloom later in the summer.
3. The easiest and most widelyplanted is group #3 – C.
These are sometimes referred to as the “Jackmanii” group, because of
the wide range of hybrids within this type of clematis. But the sheer numbers of amazing clematis flower forms and colors within these varieties goes well beyond these “Jackmanii” hybrids. .. small flowered forms such as Etoile Rose (photo above), species clematis and new introductions of ‘container’ clematis, such as Sweet Summer Love, from Proven Winners.
Pruning Schedule #3 - C requires that the entire vining structure to be cut back to about 18 inches high each spring. This aggressive pruning will generate many canes that will set buds and begin to bloom mid to late summer. These will continue to grow and set buds and continue to bloom until October.
center for 20+ years. She wrote CRR’s Northwest Gardener in CRR’s early years. After a hiatus, she re-joined CRR to reconnect us with some of her favorite gardening topics. Nancy is founder of “Castle Rock Blooms” community team of volunteers.
Nancy Chennault and her husband, Jim, operated a landscaping business and independent nursery/garden
“Montana” begins blooming around May 1. Photo courtesy of donahuesclematis.com
Daniel Deronda
Earnest Markham
Etoile Rose
Outings & Events
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 organization. Commercial projects, businesses and organizations wishing to promote their products or services are invited to purchase advertising.
ADVERTISING Deadlines, see page 10 Ned Piper, Manager 360-749-2632 nedpiper@gmail.com
General inquiries: 360-749-1021 publisher@crreader.com
Mitzi Ponce - St. Helens, Ore Ad Rep: mitzi@mdponce.com 252-675-3423
HOW TO PUBLICIZE YOUR NON-PROFIT EVENT IN CRR
Send your non-commercial community event info (incl name of event, non-profit beneficiary/sponsor, date & time, location, brief description and contact info) to publisher@crreader.com
Or mail or hand-deliver (in person or via mail slot) to:
Columbia River Reader 1333 14th, Longview, WA 98632
Submission Deadlines
Events occurring:
May 17 – June 20, 2026 by April 25 for May 15 issue
June 17 – July 20, 2026 by May 25 for June 15 issue
Calendar submissions are considered for inclusion, subject to lead time, relevance to readers, and space limitations.
See Submission Guidelines above.
/ Columbia River April 15, 2026
Spring Art Show continues through April 25. Columbia Artists Assoc., Featured artist: John Holman. Tues thru Sat, 10am–4pm. Cowlitz County Historical Museum, 405 Allen St., Kelso Wash.. original art starting at $35. Free admission. Original art from $35.
Ladies of the Lake Sew and Sew Sale April 23-25, 9am - 4pm. Youth and Family Link, 907 Douglas, Longview, Wash. Fabric $4 per yard, fat quarters $1, notions, books, sewing machines, patterns, vintage fabrics & notions. Scissor sharpening Thurs-Fri only. Quilt raffle and sales proceeds benefit Veterans organizations and selected Ladies of the Lake charities. lolquiltguild@yahoo.com.
Jordan Nylander Piano Benefit Concert 3pm, Sun, April 26. Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 2218 Kessler Blvd, Longview, Wash. Donations invited; $3,000 matching grant; proceeds benefit Family Promise. See “In the Spotlight, page 25.
Historic Homes of the Old West Side Book Launch Meet author/architect Fred Baxter. April 27, 5:30–6:30pm, Longview Public Library, 1600 Larch, Longview, Wash. (on Longview’s historic Civic Circle). Program reflecting on the beauty and significance of Old West Side historic residences. Book sales, signings. All proceeds benefit Longview Public Library.
Estate Planning Seminars Wed., April 29, 3–4:30pm, Kelso Senior Center, 106 8th Ave NW, Kelso, Wash. and Thurs., May 14, Kelso Library, 351 Three Rivers Dr., Kelso, Wash. Free, open to the pubic.
Friends of the Longview Library Book Sale Fri-Sat, May 1-2, 10–4; Sun, May 3, 10–1. Longview Public Library, 1600 Louisiana St., Longview, Wash. Most books $1–2. On Sunday, fill a grocery bag for $7. Proceeds benefit the Library. Info: longviewplfol@gmail.com or Facebook: FriendsLongviewWAlibrary.
“The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)” by Eric Rockwell and Joanne Bogart — One timeless story told in the styles of five Broadway composers. Directed by Chris Josi, musical direction by Clarance Knutson. Fri.-Sun. May 1-17, Stageworks Northwest Theatre, 1433 Commerce Ave., Longview. $12-$25. 360-636-4488, www.stageworksnorthwest.com.
A Blooming Browsing Market Sat., May 2, 9am–4pm. Kelso UnitedMethodist Presbyterian Church, 206 Cowlitz Way, Kelso,Wash. Spring flowers, herbs, collectibles, baked goods, handmade items. See ad at left.
Mount St. Helens Club HIKES Newcomers welcome
See schedule, page 23.
watercolorizeD
Kalama Artists & Makers Association presents 4th Annual
sketch by the late Deena Martinsen
Outings & Events
Safe Kids Day Sat., May 2, 10:30am–12:30pm. Youth & Family Link, 907 Douglas St., Longview Wash. Safety booths, raffles, a prize for every kid.
Raymond Carver Writing Festival Sat., May 9, Clatskanie Cultural Center and other venues. Book Fair, workshops, readings, etc. See more details, page 6.
Preserving and Dating Photographs Maggie Cogswell. speaker at the Lower Columbia Genealogical Society’s May 14th Zoom meeting. Virtual doors open 9:30am. Speaker’s program begins 10am. The public is invited to attend. Please consider joining LCGS for $20/yr. For a link to join the meeting or to join the Society, contact lcgsgen@yahoo.com 24hrs prior to the event.
BROADWAY GALLERY
1418 Commerce Avenue, Longview Tues thru Sat, 11–4. Visit the Gallery to see new work. For event updates check our website: the-broadwaygallery.com, at Broadway Gallery on Facebook, and broadway gallery longview on Instagram.
FEATURED ARTISTS
April Gallery artist Sandra Yorke (watercolor landscape paintings) and Guest artist Brenda Duby (wearable art with designer fabrics).
May Guest artist Maureen O’Hara (oil paintings)
See ad, page XX
Columbia River Author Festival May 16, 10am–4pm. Longview Public Library, 1600 Larch St., Longview, Wash. Free. Book fair, Zine library ribbon-cutting, etc. Schedule of activities: longviewlibrary.org/918/ Author-Festival. Phone: 360-442-5300.
Altzheimer’s Assoc. Caregiver Support Group Fourth Wednesday each month, 2pm, Fireside Room, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 2218 E. Kessler Blvd, Longview, Wash. New attendees register online at alz.org. crf. Walk-ins welcome; please inform facilitators you did not register in advance.
by Hal Calbom
JFIRST THURSDAY May 7 • 5:30–7pm Join us for refreshments and music by Freelance Mix
Check out our new Spring Classes, Workshops, and Paint & Sips by visiting our gallery or website.
OPEN
Tues - Sat 11–4
Voted one of top 3 Galleries in SW Washington.
Free Gift Wrap on request.
Find a unique gift! We have beautiful artisan cards, jewelry, books by local authors, wearable art, original paintings, pottery, sculpture, photographs and more.
in the spotlight
Original music and a salute to a master — all for a worthwhile cause…This month: pianist Jordan Nylander … IN THE SPOTLIGHT
ordan Nylander has started off on the right foot — and with his two gifted hands — in finding a place in Longview’s musical community, nurtured within Emmanuel Lutheran Church.
I visited him during a practice session for his upcoming concert, which he’ll present Sunday, April 26th at 3pm. Proceeds from the concert benefit Family Promise of Cowlitz County.
“It is so good to be in such a supportive community,” said Jordan. “I like to improvise and play a wide variety of styles. The interest in music here has been great!”
Nylander stays busy practicing his craft, composing, giving lessons, and serving as Music Director for Emmanuel Lutheran. His upcoming concert will feature new original work — he’s a prodigious composer fond of Northwest themes — and a bravura performance of Chopin’s “Ballade in G Minor.” The sneak preview I heard was heartfelt and moving.
Spring Young Artist Concert
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 7:00 p.m. Sunday, April 19, 2026, 3:00 p.m. Wollenberg Auditorium LCC Rose Center for the Arts 1600 Maple Street, Longview, WA
IF YOU GO Sunday, April 26th, 3pm. FREE Emmanuel Lutheran Church 2218 Kessler Blvd, Longview, Wash.
Free Admission. Donations welcome; a grant will match total donations up to $3,000. Proceeds benefit Family Promise of Cowlitz County, a local program working to keep families together and safely housed. Info: fpcowlitz.org
cont. page 26 Thanks
featuring
photo by hal calboM
E lucevan le stelle, from “Tosca” Zion Van Hook, tenor Tableaux de Provence Haylee McFadden alto saxophone
Also
Mark Morris and R.A. Long High School Choirs
Where to pick up YOUR copy of Columbia River Reader
It’s delivered all around the River by the 15th of each month (except the Holiday edition, which comes out Nov. 25th). Here’s the handy, regularly-refilled box and rack locations where you can pick up a copy.
LONGVIEW
Post Office
Forever Fit - 1211 18th Ave
Bob’s (rack, main check-out)
In front of 1232 Commerce Ave
In front of 1323 Commerce Ave
In front of Stash Records 1420 Commerce
Teri’s on Broadway (side entry)
In front of Freddy’s 1110 Commerce
YMCA
Fred Meyer (rack, service desk)
Grocery Outlet, OB Hwy
Fibre Fed’l CU - Commerce Ave
Monticello Hotel (front entrance)
Kaiser Permanente
St. John Medical Center (rack, Park Lake Café)
LCC Student Center
Columbia River Reader Office 1333 14th Ave (box at door)
Omelettes & More (entry rack)
KELSO
Visitors’ Center / Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce
KALAMA
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
WESTPORT
Berry Patch (entry rack)
RAINIER
Post Office
Cornerstone Café
Rainier Hardware (rack, entry)
Earth ‘n’ Sun (on Hwy 30)
El Tapatio (entry rack)
Grocery Outlet (rack by front door)
Senior Center (rack at front door)
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
Warren Country Inn
SCAPPOOSE
Post Office
Road Runner
Fultano’s
Ace Hardware
WARRENTON
Fred Meyer
CATHLAMET
Cathlamet Pharmacy
Tsuga Gallery (entry rack)
Computer Link NW
Puget Island Ferry Landing
SKAMOKAWA
Skamokawa General Store
NASELLE
Appelo Archives & Café
Johnson’s One-Stop
Oakie’s (rack inside)
ILWACO
Time Enough Books (entry table)
OCEAN PARK
Ocean Park Chamber of Commerce, 1715 Bay Ave
from page 25
“I love the interplay of listening and writing,” he said. “Sometimes I’ll be playing some older, classical music and be inspired by it, and start writing something of my own.”
Jordan grew up in Olympia, was educated in California and picked up his share of accolades in competitions and formal studies. He now enjoys stretching his repertoire, and is known for integrating classical pieces with his own compositions in performance.
“My family took a trip to the coast a few months ago and two pieces came out of that,” he said. “One, inspired by the Astoria Bridge, and the other a
Hal Calbom is associate publisher with CRRPress, and produces CRR’s monthly “People+Place” feature, see page 17.
Manners from page 10
Miss Manners is guessing that your response leaned toward the latter, and was therefore something less than mannerly. If it makes you feel better, this would be equally as rude as the lady who chimed in.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: A very dear, lifelong friend received a life-changing inheritance. She then gave me her inherited luxury automobile.
I don’t know how to stop saying “thank you.” How do you graciously accept something so over-the-top and unexpected?
GENTLE READER: By telling her genuinely and enthusiastically. Once, maybe twice. Write a letter -- not only about the car, but also about what the friendship means to you.
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. Your coluMbia river reaDer Read it • Enjoy it Share it • Recycle it
take on the kite festival in Long Beach.” The former builds as if ascending the huge structure, with cascading chords climbing up the keyboard. The latter offers the whimsy one expects when going to fly a kite.
“Music for me is about having the right heart,” he said, hence his association with Emmanuel Lutheran and the spiritual dimensions of his art. Though not ordained, he seems to bring together a wide variety of influences and audiences.
“I’m so fortunate to have this opportunity, and be surrounded by people who appreciate what I do,” he said. With something for everybody, from classical to contemporary, his audiences would seem to be the fortunate ones.
Admission is free on the 26th, but donations — matched by up to $3,000 from a grant — are encouraged.
And then stop. Miss Manners assures you that you do not want to make your friend regret her generosity by overdoing it and embarrassing her. And who knows? Perhaps one day you may come into your own unexpected wealth -- and then you may return the favor by giving her a yacht.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I belong to a casual group of friends who share a common interest in music. One member sent an email to the group to let us know of a downturn in her health that would limit her participation in the group.
Most of the members responded to her email using the “reply all” option. I responded directly to her, expressing my concern without using “reply all.”
Another member of the group expressed surprise she had not seen any message from me to this person. I replied that I had responded directly, which is my usual practice in such situations.
I now wonder if “reply all” is the only way to avoid the impression among the group that I do not care about other members’ significant life changes. Has “reply all” become a way of keeping score?
GENTLE READER: Evidently. But it does not mean you have to play the game. Doing kind things without being publicly recognized for them is still an option in this attention-seeking world. Miss Manners hopes you find the inner fortitude to stick with it.
(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 McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
Miss
UIPS & QUOTES Q
Collected by Jim Tejcka
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. Albert Einstein, German theoretical physicist, 1879-1955
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.
Kurt Vonnegut, author and lecturer, 19222007
Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.
Jerry Seinfeld, comedian and actor, born 1954
The best index to a person’s character is (a) how he treats a person who can’t do him any good, and (b) how he treats people who can’t fight back.
Abigail Van Buren (really Pauline Phillips), advice columnist, 1919-2013
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou, essayist, poet, and civil rights activist, 1928-2014
You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, philosopher, led the transcendentalist movement, 1803-1882
In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt . Margaret Atwood, Canadian activist, author, poet, and inventor, 1939-present
Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, philosopher and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century, 1803-1882
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.
Review by Jeff Stookey
TWhat are you reading?
The Master and Margarita by
Mikhail Bulgakov
his is a thoroughly MAD novel! It’s hilarious, frightening, inventive, satirical, fabulous (fable like), fantastical (fanciful), and biting. Mikhail Bulgakov’s writing brings to mind Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy with its author’s asides to the reader and the rambling story.
Bulgakov (1891-1940) skewers the Soviet political and financial system, the secret police system, the hypocrisy of the Russian people, and the Soviet literary
milieu. The irrational and/or magical events become parodies of the madness of Soviet life and official propaganda. False accusations condemn innocent people to misery. Their mysterious disappearances— to oblivion, to far-off places, to insane asylums — reflect Stalin’s purges of the 1930s and, to a lesser extent, the disappearances and detainments of immigrants and citizens in the US today.
Translator Richard Pevear’s introduction explains historical and literary aspects of this book which would otherwise be obscure to American readers not steeped in Russian history.
“Cowardice is the most terrible of vices,” wrote Bulgakov. It is a warning that recurs throughout the book and can apply equally to the Soviet (and current) period in Russia, and to any regime where its people fail to stand up to tyranny. Considered a masterpiece of modern Russian literature, this novel deserves to be widely read.
•••
READERS
Read a good book lately? Share your impressions and thoughts with other CRR readers. Email alan@alan-rose.com or publisher@crreader.com for info. Writers and non-writers welcome, editing services provided, and can be based on phone miniinterview if preferred.
Jeff Stookey is the author of the Medicine for the Blues trilogy, which depicts the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Portland. He and his partner Ken Barker are featured in Paul Iarrobino’s new anthology Crossing Paths: Queer Moments That Changed Everything. Jeff’s book reviews can be found at https://www. instagram.com/jeffstookey1923/ and https://www.facebook.com/ jeff.stookey.3
7. I Who Have Never Known Men Jacqueline Harpman, Transit Books, $16.95
8. Heated Rivalry
Rachel Reid, Carina Press, $18.99, 9. The Long Game
Rachel Reid, Carina Press, $18.99
10. The Lion Women of Tehran Marjan Kamali, Gallery Books, $18.99
Brought to you by Book Sense and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, dated March 29, 2026, based on reporting from the independent bookstores of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. For the Book Sense store nearest you, visit www.booksense.com
PAPERBACK NON-FICTION
1. Raising Hare: A Memoir
Chloe Dalton, Vintage, $21
2. The Demon of Unrest
Erik Larson, Crown, $22
3. On Tyranny
Timothy Snyder, Crown, $14,
4. The Body Keeps the Score Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., Penguin, $19
5. Braiding Sweetgrass
Robin Wall Kimmerer, Milkweed Editions, $22
6. The Beginning Comes After the End
Rebecca Solnit, Haymarket Books, $16.95
7. All About Love: New Visions bell hooks, William Morrow Paperbacks, $16.99
8. I’m Glad My Mom Died
Jennette McCurdy, Simon & Schuster, $19.99
9. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and MurderDavid Grann, Vintage, $21
10. Mutual Aid
Dean Spade, Verso, $16.95
BOOK REVIEW
PFear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times
Tracy K. Smith Norton
$24
robably few people would dispute that we are living in perilous times. I would enumerate the perils— economic, political, environmental, social, spiritual—but this column is limited to 400 words, and besides, you already know them. During such trying times, we naturally turn to…um, poetry?
Yes, argues Tracy K. Smith, 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States. She
1. The Correspondent
Virginia Evans, Crown, $28
2. The Night We Met (Indie Exclusive Edition)
Abby Jimenez, Hachette Book Group, $30
3. Between Two Fires
Christopher Buehlman, Tor Nightfire, $29.99
4. Carl’s Doomsday Scenario
Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30
5. Wolf Worm
T. Kingfisher, Tor Nightfire, $29.99
6. Python’s Kiss: Stories Louise Erdrich, Harper, $32
7. The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook
Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30
8. The Butcher’s Masquerade
Matt Dinniman, Ace, $35
9. Wild Dark Shore
Charlotte McConaghy, Flatiron Books, $28.99
10. The Gate of the Feral Gods
Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30
1. A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness Michael Pollan, Penguin Press, $32
2. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
Omar El Akkad, Knopf, $28
3. Adult Braces: Driving Myself
Sane Lindy West, Grand Central Publishing, $29
4. The Serviceberry Robin Wall Kimmerer, John Burgoyne (Illus.), Scribner, $20,
5. Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age Ibram X. Kendi, One World, $35
6. Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism
Stewart Reynolds, Grand Central Publishing, $13
7. Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage
Belle Burden, The Dial Press, $30
8. The Creative Act: A Way of Being Rick Rubin, Penguin Press, $32
9. The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary
Terry Tempest Williams, Grove Press, $28
10. The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love Alice Hoffman (Ed.), Scribner, $22
Poetry can save us
says we’ve come to find ourselves “in a climate of language — I’d call it a national vocabulary — grounded in fear, derision, and the notion of an intractably divided nation.” We need to change the climate.
Given this, I was expecting an anthology of inspirational verse offering psychological insight (maybe Kahlil Gibran’s “Fear”), or recalling our roots (Langston Hughes’s “Let America Be America Again”), or finding tranquility amid the daily madness (“The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry).
But, no, Smith is talking about how poetry — writing and reading it — can calm us, center us, and help us engage and dialogue with our fears; indeed, how poetry can save us from ourselves.
Of the current American crisis, she writes, “I had found myself thinking, Poetry wouldn’t allow us to behave this way.” Poems have the potential “to reawaken us to the miracle and
Alan’s haunting novel of the AIDS epidemic, As If Death Summoned, won the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award (LGBT category). He organizes the monthly Word Fest gathering (info on facing page). Reach him at www.alan-rose.com.
Top 10 Bestsellers
1. Good Night, Little Blue Truck Alice Schertle, Jill McElmurry (Illus.), Clarion Books, $10.99
3. For the Fans! (KPop Demon Hunters): Official Storybook (Little Golden Book) Golden Books, $6.99
4. Don’t Trust Fish Neil Sharpson, Dan Santat (Illus.), Dial Books, $18.99
5. The Wildest Thing Emily Winfield Martin, Random House Books for Young Readers, $19.99
6. Jamberry Bruce Degen, HarperCollins, $9.99
7. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak, Harper, $21.99
8. The Future Book Mac Barnett, Shawn Harris (Illus.), Knopf Books for Young Readers, $19.99
9. Little Blue Truck’s Springtime Alice Schertle, Jill McElmurry (Illus.), Clarion Books,$13.99
10. Buffalo Fluffalo and Puffalo (A Buffalo Fluffalo Story) Bess Kalb, Erin Kraan (Illus.), Random House Studio, $18.99
By Alan Rose
Fear degrades our ability to do anything in the face of what threatens us. Fear stuns, blurs out our options, convinces us it is better to fall silent and still, to consent, to go along and trust that eventually everything will feel normal again…At its most dangerous, fear keeps us from facing or even fully contemplating what, for our own survival, we must endeavor to change. But a poem can mitigate fear by facilitating a form of dialogue with it.
-- from Fear Less
the mystery of our lives”—which is 180 degrees from the numbing and dumbing-down of social media’s incessant click-bait and rage-fests.
To help us understand how, she digs into a number of poems. Harryette Mullen’s bitingly satirical “We Are Not Responsible” (2002) seems ready-made for the current administrative state
4. A Whale of the Wild Rosanne Parry, Greenwillow Books, $9.99
5. Dogtown
Katherine Applegate, Gennifer Choldenko, Wallace West (Illus.), Square Fish, $8.99
6. Super Duper Extra Deluxe Essential Handbook (Pokémon) Scholastic, $16.99
7. A Wolf Called Wander Rosanne Parry, Greenwillow Books, $9.99
8. The Bletchley Riddle Ruta Sepetys, Steve Sheinkin, Viking Books for Young Readers, $9.99
9. Working Boats
Tom Crestodina, Little Bigfoot, $19.99
10. A Horse Named Sky Rosanne Parry, Greenwillow Books, $9.99
(We are not responsible for your lost or stolen relatives. We cannot guarantee your safety if you disobey our instructions…)
But most of the poems are non-political, inviting us to look more deeply into our lives, to make space and time for reflection, such as Robert Hayden’s moving “Those Winter Sundays” (1962), a poem of memory, gratitude, grief, and delayed understanding (Sundays too my father got up early/ and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,/ then with cracked hands that ached/ from labor in the weekday weather made/ banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him…)
Like meditation, like true prayer, poetry can safeguard us from mobs and madness.
So, during this National Poetry Month, pick up a book of poems—or a pad and pen to write them—and become centered once again, reminding yourself amid the noise and haste, of what’s important, what matters, what’s basic to living well…even in perilous times.
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
119 E. “B” St., (Hwy 30) Crab Louie/Crab cocktails, crab-stuffed avocados. 17 hot and cold sandwiches. Amazing crab sandwiches. Full bar service. Catering for groups. 503-556-9950. interstatetavern@yahoo.com
El Tapatio
117 W. ‘A’ Street
Mexican Family Restaurant. Open Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, rest of week 11am-10pm. Full bar. 8-11pm. Patio seating. 503-556-8323.
Longview, Wash.
Formerly The Carriage Restaurant & Lounge located on 14th Ave. 3353 Washington Way Chinese & American cuisine. Full bar, banquet room stage room with balcony; available for groups, special events. Restaurant: 11am–9pm, Lounge 11am–1:00am. 360425-8680.
In the Merk (1339 Commerce Ave., #113) 360-998-2139. Mon-Fri 8am–4pm. Specialty coffees, teas, bubble teas and pastries....drinks with a smile. Takeout and on-site.
COLUMBIA RIVER 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. 360-414-3288. See ad, page 35.
Hop N Grape 924 15th Ave., Longview Tues–Thurs 11am–8pm; Fri & Sat 11am–9pm. BBQ meat slow-cooked on site. Pulled pork, chicken, brisket, ribs, turkey, salmon. Worldfamous mac & cheese. 360-577-1541.
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.
Vault Books & Brew 20 Cowlitz Street West, Castle Rock. Coffee and specialty drinks, quick eats & sweets. See ad, page 28
Kalama, Wash.
LUCKMAN’S COFFEE Mountain Timber Market, Port of Kalama. Open 8am–7pm. 360-673-4586.
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.
1133 Broadway. Lunch and Dinner, full bar. Mon12–8pm. Tues-Thurs 11am–8pm, Fri 11am–9pm; Sat 12–9pm. 360-577-0717
215 N. Hendrickson Dr., Port of Kalama. A Northwest pub and unique bars serving breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. Info & reservations, bar hours at mcmenamins.com. 8am–midnight daily. 360673-9210. Indoor dining, covered outdoor seating.
Antique Deli 413N. First. M-F, 10–3. Call for daily sandwich special. 360-673-3310.
FIRESIDE CAFE
5055 Meeker Dr., Kalama. Open Wed-Sun, 9–4. 360-673-3473.
St. Helens, Ore.
Sunshine Pizza & Catering 2124 Columbia Blvd. Hot pizza, cool salad bar. Beer & wine. Limited inside seating, curbside pickup and delivery. 503-397-3211
See ad, page 11.
Big River Tap Room 313 Strand Street on the Riverfront.
Lunch/Dinner Tue-Thurs 12–8pm; Fri-Sat 12–9pm. Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef, pastrami. Weekend Burrito Breakfast, Sat 8-11, Sun 8am-3pm.
The Klondike 71 Cowlitz St, Historic Riverfront District. Steaks, seafood, burgers. Daily specials M-Th. Catering. Full bar. klondiketavern.com. 503-396-5036. See ad. page 11.
Scappoose, Ore.
Fultano’s Pizza 51511 SE 2nd. Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more! “Best pizza around!” Sun–Th 11:30am–9pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am–10pm. Full bar service ‘til 10pm Fri & Sat. Deliveries in Scappoose. 503-543-5100. Inside Dining.
Ixtapa Fine Mexican Restaurant 33452 Havlik Rd. Fine Mexican cuisine. Daily specials. The best margarita in town. Daily drink specials. M-Th 11am–9:30pm; Fri & Sat 11am–11:30pm; Sun 11am–9pm. 503-543-3017
Warren, Ore.
Warren Country Inn 56575 Columbia River Hwy. Fine
Toutle, Wash.
operators: To advertise in Columbia River Dining Guide, call Ned Piper 360-749-2632
Ned Piper assists with CRR, inside out and all around the edges. Restaurant
THE TIDEWATER REACH
FIELD GUIDE TO THE LOWER COLUMBIA IN POEMS AND PICTURES
Poem by Robert Michael Pyle • Photograph by Judy VanderMaten
Once Upon Brookfield
This northern shore was packed with fishing towns, canneries thick as sealice on a spawned-out silver hen. Skamokawa to Baker Bay, palaces of red boards arose to slime, cut, and can the millions of salmon from fish-trap, wheel, horse-seiner, or boat. Towns, to house the Finnish fishers and Chinese canners.
Graced with post offices, stores, schools, even telephone lines, they grew out of the wilderness ‘twixt high tides and high firs. Bosses’ mansions looked down on raw new streets, hopeful spokes of human longing and desire. Megler, Knappton, Frankfort, Altoona, Cottardi, Dahlia, Pillar Rock... and chief among them, beautiful Brookfield.
EMPIRE OF TREES
AMERICA’S PLANNED CITY AND THE LAST FRONTIER
WORDS AND WOOD
PACIFIC NORTHWEST WOODCUTS AND HAIKU
by Debby Neely
Full Moon Rising
A flock of geese feeds
Gleaning the corn and grain fields
A feather remains
Brookfield began in 1873 with a cannery manned by Croatian fishermen. Occupied a pretty bay between Harrows Creek and Brookfield Point. No roads, only mail-boats, until log trucks came. Soon the old-growth ran out, both in river and hills. Cannery abandoned, steamers didn’t stop any more. School closed in ‘45, P.O. in ‘53. In ‘57, Crown Zellerbach bulldozed the town, and that was that.
We used to pore over foundations, pick through moss and ivy-strewn paths among the giveaway daffodils and snowdrops, looking for signs: shards of blue willow ware, keys, an old toy, a marble; rusted stove here, broken front steps over there. Imagining lives once lived, loves long gone. You can still get to Brookfield, through the loggedoff hills. But all you’ll see is dredge spoils and stumps, and the only signs on the forest floor are the shiny ones left by slugs and snails.
by Hal Calbom
The three-month survey supervised by Wesley Vandercook provided the blueprint for both the industrial and commercial development of Longview and the entire delta of the Cowlitz. His report proved far more than a topographical study; it became a Michelin Guide for lumbermen entering new territory where everything — climate, timber, terrain, labor — was different than in the south.
Lenore Bradley – Robert Alexander Long
This page and pg. 8 feature excerpts from
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.
Vandercook’s Vision
The extraordinary room-sized topographical map created from Vandercook’s survey photo courtesy of longview public library
CULINARY TIP
Cilantro, aka Chinese parsley, is a culinary herb with a mixed reputation. Either you love it or hate it. Its addition to guacamole gives the authentic Mexican flavor many people prefer and as many people push away.
Cilantro is commonly used in Caribbean, Mexican and Asian recipes. It is often confused with Italian parsley, a distant relation. A quick sniff and you know which one you have. Cilantro has a distinct, soapy smell, quite different from the sweet, earthy smell of parsley.
Coriander, the dried seed of the cilantro plant, has a milder taste and is used, crushed or ground, in casseroles and to flavor soups. The seed is reported to have aphrodisiac qualities and can be used as an appetite stimulant. The word “coriander” is derived from the Greek word koris, meaning “bedbug” because of the similarity of their smells.
The entire cilantro plant is edible, with the stems having the most intense flavor. In very small quantities¸ it
can add a subtle taste to recipes, put a couple of leaves in a garden salad, giving it a fresh, surprising bite or two.
The cilantro plant is easy to grow in your herb garden. It’s a weed in many parts of the world. Love it or leave it, it’s in more dishes served us in restaurants than we may realize.
Richard A. Kirkpatrick MD, FACP
Rachel Roylance BS, MPAP, PA-C
Toddrick Tookes DPM, Podiatry
Vlad Bogin MD, FACP
Gordon Hendrickson, PA-C Nicholas Austin MSPAS, PA-C
Shannon Smith MPAS, PA-C
Scott B. Kirkpatrick MD, Cardiology
Christie Kirkpatrick Schmutz MD, ABIM, ABOM
Where do you read THE READER?
Getting to the bottom of things in Antarctica
Left to Right: Lisa and David Gregory of Kelso, Wash.; Eric and Amy Brudi, of Kelso, Wash; and Connie and Todd Boze, of Longview, Wash., all “chose to read the Reader on their landing on Deception Island.‘ Or so they say.
WHERE DO YOU READ THE READER?
Send your photo reading the Reader (high-resolution JPEG) to publisher@crreader. com. For cell phone photos, choose the largest file size up to 2 MB. Include names and cities of residence. Expect an acknowledgment within 5 days of submission; otherwise, please re-send. Thank you for your participation and patience, we usually have a small backlog!
Thinking of Dad on the Big Island Warren, Ore. resident Mike VonDerahe at the Camp Tarawa Memorial on Hawaii, the Big Island. 50,000 Marines of the 2nd and 5th divisions passed through Camp Tarawa during WWII for training for, and recovery from the battles of Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian (2nd), and Iwo Jima (5th). Mike's father fought during the entire 36-day battle for Iwo Jima.
In Hal Calbom’s People+Place feature this month on Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden, he mentions that the Chinese people are known for being practical. You may notice an example of this the next time you go to a Chinese restaurant. Especially if you order a pot of tea.
The cup the server pours for you will not have a handle. Why is that? The practical answer is if the cup is too hot to hold, the contents are too hot to drink. I’m told it also encourages “engagement” with the tea’s temperature and aroma, making for a slower, more mindful experience.
I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting China. The closest I’ve come was in 1984 when Sue and I visited New Zealand. Arriving in Christchurch, we literally stumbled upon a magnificent exhibit from the Buried Army of Qin Chi Huang, the 8,000-plus life-size terracotta soldiers, generals, infantry, horses, and chariots buried around 210 B.C. to protect China’s first emperor in the afterlife.
The exhibit — a mini-collection of the clay figures — was due to open the next day. The crew seemed to like Americans (Yankees, they called us) and allowed us in for a sneak preview. We were knocked out by the stunning beauty and very idea that such a colassal collection — only discovered in 1974 — could possibly exist.
My sister Jane, on the other hand, has made numerous treks across the Pacific Ocean to purchase antiques, artifacts and art for her wholesale design showroom in Seattle.
She once told me about a small village on mainland China that specialized in items she wanted to buy. When she discovered that one of the shop owners loved American magazines, she brought him a few with every visit. He couldn’t speak a word of English, but enjoyed looking at the pictures.
One time Jane included a copy of the Columbia River Reader in with the magazines. She took a picture of him “reading” the Reader and emailed it to Sue, who published it.
Six months later, when Jane returned to that same village, she gave the man a copy of the Reader with his photo in it.
As he turned the pages, he discovered his picture. He got so excited, he jumped up and ran around the entire village showing his picture to his fellow shopkeepers.
Our “Where Do You Read the Reader?” tradition continues. Find it this month on page 33.
Longview resident Ned Piper is mostly retired, but assists with CRR ads, distribution and, of course, proofreading when he is not enjoying TV sports, movies, or political talk (wrangling) shows.
PLUGGED IN TO COWLITZ PUD
By Alice Dietz, Cowlitz PUD Communications/Public Relations Manager
Energy Efficiency’s Evolution over 45 years
Energy efficiency has been a part of Cowlitz PUD for the last 45 years. It started out humbly in 1981 by offering rebates to households upgrading insulation in their homes. Then, in 2006, energy efficiency expanded when the Energy Independence Act (I-937) was passed by Washington voters, requiring electric utilities serving at least 25,000 customers to use renewable energy and implement energy conservation. Cowlitz PUD is one of the utilities subject to I-937. We ensure all conservation efforts we pursue are cost-effective, reliable, and feasible.
Every two years, Cowlitz PUD updates its Conservation Potential Assessment (CPA) that identifies the conservation potential over a 10-year period as well as a two-year target. The methodology
Guest column by Jen Langdon, Energy Efficiency Manager used to identify Cowlitz PUD’s conservation potential is the same used by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. The current 2026/2027 target is 3.1 aMW. This is the equivalent of powering 20,115 average Cowlitz County homes for a year.
In order to achieve the I-937 target, the District offers rebates and incentives to residential, commercial, and industrial customers for upgrading existing equipment or retrofitting equipment with more energy-efficient options. While approximately 80 percent of the District’s energy savings come from the industrial sector, the largest number of projects completed by our customers is in our residential sector.
cont page 35
ROTARY CONTRIBUTES TWO MAJOR GIFTS!
The Rotary Club of Longview celebrates its Centennial by expressing gratitude to the community. For the past 100 years, we have lived, learned, and thrived in this special place called home. Donation of these gifts is our way of saying ... “Thank You.”
- April 25 -10 a.m.
Commemorating the Club’s and the Library’s separate Centennials
Ancient clay figures found buried in China in 1974.
Energy savings are achieved through the installation of (in order of importance) insulation, heat pumps, water heaters, clothes washers and dryers, windows, and electric vehicle chargers. Our Energy Efficiency Specialists offer free home energy audits to anyone looking to reduce their energy bills. Additionally, the District collaborates with Fibre Federal Credit Union to offer zero- to near zero-interest loans on residential energy efficiency projects.
Commercial customers can benefit from energy efficiency rebates and lowering their
energy consumption through heating and cooling, lighting, insulation, windows and doors, and custom projects, and water heating retrofits and upgrades.
If you are interested in using less energy in your home or business, contact Energy Efficiency Services to schedule your free energy audit. Phone: 360.501.9514, or toll free 800.631.1131; email: eeservices@ cowlitzpud.org).
Alice Dietz may be reached at adietz@ cowlitzpud.org, or 360-501-9146.
A Different Way of Seeing...
The Freshest Seafood in Town Now Serving Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cocktails OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK M-Sat 10am–8pm • Sun 11am–8pm
Alaskan Halibut or Cod Fish ‘N’ Chips Award-Winning Clam Chowder Seafood, Burgers, Steaks & Pasta Beer, Wine, Spirits & Cocktails
Drive Thru, or Delivery with Door Dash
THE TIDEWATER REACH Field Guide to the Lower Columbia in Poems and Pictures THREE EDITIONS • $25, $35, $50
By Robert Michael Pyle and Judy VanderMaten
“Tidewater Reach is a pleasure to hold; it provokes delights, both intellectual and emotional. I commend all who were involved in bringing us this treasure. It deserves a place on your bookshelf and in your heart.”
-- Cate Gable, “Coast Chronicles,” Chinook Observer, Long Beach, Wash.
DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL
A Layman’s Lewis & Clark $35
by Michael O. Perry
Order
Books also available at:
• Columbia Gorge Interpretive Museum Stevenson
• Broadway Gallery Longview
• Cowlitz County Historical Museum Shop Kelso
• Kelso-Longview Visitor Center, Kelso
• 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.
