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As Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative members gather this week for the annual meeting at the Condon Elks Lodge, they will celebrate the coop's eighth decade in operation. September 18, 1940, marked a significant milestone for residents across our rural communities. On that day, the Directors of Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative, Inc. gathered to sign the Articles of Association, laying the foundation for an essential new service: electric power in our homes, farms, and busi...
Days of Yore for November 7, 2024 10 years ago— The spirit of Halloween took on a macabre atmosphere as the mystery of an abandoned pickup on South Main Street in Condon Friday turned into a full-blown manhunt for a former Condon resident. As of Tuesday morning, Darcy Gale Allen was still missing. (In the next week’s paper, it was reported that Mr. Allen was found deceased in a stubble field about a mile southeast of Condon on Nov. 4.) Centenarian Dewey Thomas of Wasco com...
Suddenly the weather has shifted and now we start to think about food that sustains and soothes. What better comfort food is there than warm macaroni and cheese? A restaurant in Southeast Portland named Noble Rot is famous for their macaroni and cheese. My friend Sunny once lived near there and we would often take a stroll to get Noble Rot’s famous macaroni and cheese. They served it piping hot along with a delightful twist on this classic dish – a sweet condiment made out...
The 2023-2024 U.S. public school year registered a tripling from the previous year of the number of books banned, mostly by conservative Republican Christian “citizens panels” and conservative Christian home-schooling moms and with the help of Republican legislatures. Colonization and the Wampanoag Story was one such casualty. Debbie Reese, founder of the American Indians in Children Literature group, said “To claim this book is fiction dismisses our perspective and histo...
I love Halloween. The costumes...the pumpkins...the excitement of the children when the door is opened and "Trick or treat!" rings out. One memory of Halloween "back in the day" was decorating our lunch milk cartons at Fossil Grade School. The cartons were used as we went door to door chanting, "Trick or treat for UNICEF!" I'm not sure we really understood what UNICEF was, but we loved collecting coins on October 30th, and the highlight of Halloween at school was dumping out...
Collectively, roughly 47% of all adult Americans have lost their damned minds. Outrage erupted recently in Texas among schoolkids, parents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, publishing companies and literacy program advocates as a Montgomery County “Citizens Review Panel” acceded to the demands of right-wing advocates that Linda Coombs’ Young Adult book, Colonization and the Wampanoag Story, not be banned but reclassified as “fiction.” Most of you, Dear Readers, like most...
A while back, I bought a bag of potato chips and they were unlike any I had ever eaten. Their texture was firmer and crunchier than what is usually found in potato chips. They had a lovely tawny golden brown color. The explosion of flavor was savory and salty and a slight sweetness hummed in the background. They not only tasted good, they felt great, all the way down to my toes. That bag brought me pure pleasure! Why were these chips different? Curious, I read every word on...
Editor, Thank you for the opportunity to provide an endorsement for Jeremiah Holmes as a candidate for Wheeler County Sheriff. I met Mr. Holmes this summer while participating on an incident management team managing the Fossil Complex…more specifically, the Service Fire. I observed Mr. Holmes in his role as Wheeler County Fire Defense Board Chief and in his current role in the Wheeler County Sheriff’s office. Over the two weeks I worked with Mr. Holmes, I found him to care deeply for the citizens of Wheeler County. He sho...
Days of Yore for October 31, 2024 10 years ago— Paul Goddard was posthumously inducted into the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame in a ceremony held in Portland. Goddard graduated from Lincoln High School in 1958. He was selected for his athletic achievement in football, basketball and baseball. Klindt’s Booksellers at The Dalles will host author Jane Kirkpatrick for a book signing of her latest title, A Light in the Wilderness. Jane, a former Sherman County residen...
We were saddened to hear about Jon Bowerman's death on October 19th at his ranch near Antelope. He was 86 years old. Saddened might not be the right word - surprised is probably the emotion I'm looking for. I just saw Jon at a volleyball game in Fossil a couple of weeks ago. Of course, he was sitting courtside in his cowboy hat, conversing with a couple of locals. Jon was one of a kind. His advocacy for youth rodeo and sports in the area will be remembered fondly. Jon was an e...
Sir, Thank you for the opportunity to provide an endorsement for Jeremiah Holmes as a candidate for Wheeler County Sheriff. I met Mr. Holmes this summer while participating on an incident management team managing the Fossil Complex…more specifically, the Service Fire. I observed Mr. Holmes in his role as Wheeler County Fired Defense Board Chief and in his current role in the Wheeler County Sheriff’s office. Over the two weeks I worked with Mr. Holmes, I found him to care deeply for the citizens of Wheeler County. He sho...
"Team work makes the dream work." The City of Arlington would like to take a moment to acknowledge and express our deepest gratitude to Mr. & Mrs. Ted Copher and Mr. & Mrs. Mike Miller of Arlington, OR for their outstanding work in rejuvenating the Columbia View Estates sign. Their dedication and thoughtfulness are evident in the fresh look of the sign, which has not only enhanced the beauty of our community but also instills a sense of pride among residents. Their care and enthusiasm for this project reflect the kindness...
In two prior installments I noted the mild distemper suffered by professional booksellers when encountering the term “flatsigned” as against merely a “signed” book. The owner of “FlatSigned Books”™ and “FlatSigned Press”™, too, the since-deceased Tim Miller, aroused considerable ire. He was many times, justifiably and even publicly, accused of converting mere unsigned modern first editions into, first, “signed” ones (having forged the signatures of collectible authors) and the...
I was saddened to hear of Jon Bowerman’s death last week but oh what an adventurous and colorful life he had! Jon was a longtime Fossil resident and the son of Bill Bowerman, one of Nike’s two founders. The Bowerman family goes way back in Fossil and Jon was somewhat of a legend. He was a Marine, a rodeo rider, an Olympic ski team coach, cowboy poet, horse trainer and a track coach at both Condon and Fossil high schools. I met Jon about 18 months ago at the Wednesday com...
Days of Yore for October 24, 2024 10 years ago— Inducted into the Arlington ‘Larry Jones Tower of Power’ at last week’s Honker Homecoming game was the late Loyd ‘Cap’ Bartlemay. Always an avid supporter of Arlington High, Cap earned this honor, and his family was presented with a certificate of appreciation. C/W Knights named to the Big Sky District All Star first team were Matney Jamieson and Emma Logan. Arlington Honker Joely Patnode was also named to the first team. Gatheri...
Last week, Dear Reader, I introduced you to the telling difference between a book that is “flatsigned” at the title- or half-title page in pen, Sharpie ™ or paint by an author and a book that is “inscribed” also by an author’s short, warm, meaningful note, being sometimes also dated. But them’s fightin’ words—or can be, first about the dubiousness of “flatsigned” versus mere “signed” and second about their putative worth as opposed to inscribed books and third about the diffe...
Days of Yore for October 17, 2024 10 years ago— Carol McKenzie, tournament coordinator, reported a perfect day for the 8th annual Wasco Salmon/Steelhead Tournament with 50 entrants and 17 salmon and one steelhead brought to Wasco for the weigh-in. The overall winning Chinook was 16 pounds, 15 ounces, and was caught by Natalie Schaefer of Oregon City. Rodeo athletes of the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association, which sponsors some 30 rodeos a year, have just selected the S...
One of life’s greatest sensory pleasures is extraordinary food, the kind when after the first bite, all conversation stops and you fully immerse yourself in the deliciousness. Or, if you are by yourself, all thought vanishes and nothing matters but the present. Maybe sometimes even a week later the memory of that meal will drift through your mind in a pleasant reverie. Times like these offer wonderful solace from the craziness of the outside world. For a few fleeting m...
“Dude! I can’t believe it! I can’t believe what I found out there at the Bar-S Ranch yard sale outside of Condon on Saturday!” “What? What did you find? Don’t tell me. You didn’t . . . Tell me you didn’t!” “Dude, I did, I found one, the rarest book of all, the Holy Grail for used book sellers, an UNsigned Lawrence Block.” Okay, that’s a good joke, I don’t care who you are. For those few not in the know, Lawrence Block, author of the wonderful Matthew Scudder and Bernie Rhodenb...
Days of Yore for October 10, 2024 10 years ago— Recently a group of people came together to discuss the future of the Rock Creek Community Center. The Rock Creek Schoolhouse is 102 years old, and Marta Mikkalo is the president of the board overseeing the facility. “Funds are always necessary and welcome to keep the old girl going,” says Mikkalo. Alene Rucker plans to teach classes in the new year in the art of wheat weaving. A grant is being pursued through the Gilliam Count...
Interested in tips and strategies for a healthier lifestyle? The Sherman County Senior Center and OSU Sherman County Extension are partnering to bring another round of free, drop-in nutrition classes to local residents. Join us for "Seniors Eating Well", a 6-week series of classes to be offered at the Rufus City Hall Mondays at 10am-noon October 21 through November 25, 2024. A soup lunch will follow each class. Take better control of your health with lessons on cooking...
With the onset of Fall and cooler weather, there's hope we have reached the end of wildfire season. The community came together in impressive ways to help with everything from laundry for the firefighters to individuals offering their equipment and time to help keep our community safe. It would be impossible to thank everyone individually but please know how much you are appreciated. We know how lucky we are to have such wonderful volunteers. With that in mind, the city will...
Almost every week, my friend who has moved away still helps me edit my columns. We met during the summer of 2021 when we were both staying at the fairgrounds RV park in Fossil. Our friendship developed when we went together to the laundry mat in Condon every couple of weeks. She is a fabulous editor who catches things that I totally overlook, even after I have read and re-read my columns multiple times. I especially appreciate that she spots my really embarrassing errors like...
Days of Yore for October 3, 2024 10 years ago— Some upsetting news for a few residents of Fossil who own chickens is that dogs have been slaughtering chickens in at least two areas of town. Dog owners are encouraged to keep dogs at home. Some who have chickens depend on egg money for part of their income and losing chickens is costly. 25 years ago— From Mitchell Madness by 5th and 6th graders: A few weeks ago the Elsea family’s black lab jumped out of their truck on Highway 26...
This is part 3 of a series that explores the challenges and potential solutions for ambulatory services in Wheeler, Gilliam, and Sherman counties. The global pandemic shook longtime emergency medical service volunteers and healthcare professionals. Increased demand for ambulance services, coupled with a decline in responders has created a crisis in many communities. As we've looked at in this series, the slow erosion of volunteers and an increasing reliance on their services...
