Role Playing Carnage

The local police department staged the aftermath of a fake drunk driving accident in the parking lot of Hoquiam High School, complete with a wrecked car, students as victims, emergency responders and ketchup for blood. Besides being great for photos, the event seems to really hit home for a lot of students, which is why PDs across the country continue to put these events on.

Turf Wars, Swallow Style

Tree swallows bicker over real estate at the Bishop Athletic Complex.

Unsafe at Second

He was OK

Booby

Wildlife rehabilitator Angie Messmer watches as the new addition to her menagerie of wild animals, a Brown Booby, stretches its wings in the the back room of the Hoquiam Licensing & Transportation Agency where she works. The bird was picked up from Westport fisherman Jeff Dungey, who said that the large, brown seabird jumped onto his boat while he and his crew were near Willapa Bay checking crab pots. The bird is typically found in more southern climates, like the Hawaiian Islands and the gulf of Mexico, making its appearance off the Washington coast highly unusual. Messmer says that there are a few options for the animal, including soliciting an airline to donate a round trip trip for a handler to return the bird. In the meantime, the booby continues to consume about 2 pounds of fish and squid per day.

Doozy First Step

Wet Spring

A surplus of rainwater at the retention pond in Aberdeen inspired the crew of the Hawaiian Chieftain to chart new territory Thursday.

Signs of Spring

Song Sparrow sings

Picking daffodils at the Satsop Bulb Farm

Birds of Prey

Red-tailed Hawk with handler.

Barn Owl with handler.

Shelter

Arny Scwendeman

Sometimes, for whatever reason, we shoot a story that never runs in the newspaper. This one, about WWII veteran Arny Schwendeman, has been lost in the shuffle. Arny is almost 90 and is one of the few Raymond VFW members keeping the chapter alive, despite the fact that few use its storefront meeting hall downtown.

Schwendeman poses for a photo in front of a wall bearing the military portraits of VFW members.

Schwendeman points out the members of his family that have served in the US military.



Schwendeman walks past a wall with the names of Raymond VFW members. The ones with a shiny pin next to them are no longer living.

Schwendeman stands in the Raymond VFW hall which is having some financial troubles. The VFW has been renting the space to a local yoga instructor.

Schwendeman closes the door on the Raymond VFW hall.