Other Headlines

Enrollment dip triggers cuts at Monte schools
An enrollment dip of 84 students this year has triggered "reduction in force" letters to six teachers/certificated staff in the Montesano School District. Superintendent Marti Harruff said she and the School Board believe the decline is directly related to the closure of the Weyerhaeuser mills at Aberdeen and Cosmopolis, and that the long-term trend is for growth in Montesano. She's sensitive to the bad news coming on the heels of voter support for new schools, but said she's also hopeful that when all is said and done, two - and no more than three positions - will actually have to be cut.

Contest for mayor in Monte
Ron Schillinger, the city of Montesano's forester for the past 20 years, announced Wednesday he is running for election as mayor. Schillinger, 60, is scheduled to retire in July, but, he said, "I love Montesano and Montesano has been very, very good to me. It's a great place to live, a great place to raise a family. And there's a real interest on my part in giving back and continuing to participate." Schillinger's bid pits him against incumbent Dick Stone, who intends to seek a second term.

McCleary School to see much change
Next school year will see lots of changes at the McCleary School. Besides beginning a $9.7 million modernization, which is currently being designed by John Crook of J.F.C. Architects Inc. of Longview and will likely be completed about August 2009, the school has a new assistant principal, and four teachers and a popular part-time librarian are leaving.

More Sports

Oregon's Roger Crockett victorious in inaugural sprint race
ELMA ­ After rain washed out the program on Friday night, Medford Oregon's Roger Crockett returned Saturday to win the inaugural Northwest Sprint Challenge Series main event April 28 at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma. Crockett passed Central Point Oregon's Billy Nutter on the first trip round the track and was never challenged as he easily took the 30-lap feature race.

Chehalis fastpitch knocks off Elma, 5-1
ELMA ­ Chehalis pitcher Lauryn Ticknor had most of the Elma batters stymied ­ striking out seven (three looking) ­ while her teammates came up with timely hits to help lift the Lady Bearcats over the Lady Eagles, 5-1, in a 2A Evergreen Conference fastpitch match-up, on Tuesday, May 1, at Eagle Field.

Eagles edge Grizzly baseball, 7-6, at home
ELMA ­ The teams traded runs all day long, but in the end Elma emerged from a tight 2A Evergreen Conference baseball game with Hoquiam with a, 7-6, win on Monday April 30 at Eagle Field. Hoquiam jumped out in front, 1-0, on an Elma throwing error in the bottom of the first. The Eagles responded with a Mac Watson RBI base hit in the bottom of the first. The Grizzlies tacked on two more in the second frame and one more in the third to take a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the third inning.