Other Headlines

Elma Feed Co. changes hands
ELMA — Ray Scott was 20 when he began unloading boxcars of feed in the warehouse at the Elma Feed Co. in 1951. Later he and his wife Bev owned the business. Last week they sold it — not a rash action for Ray Scott.

But the longtime family business, purchased by Al and Sandi Zepp of Elma, is still in the family. Al Zepp is the son of Bev Scott’s late cousin, Boyd Zepp. The business officially changed hands Nov. 1.

The Scotts and Mick Wagenblast of Elma purchased the feed store in 1975. In 1983, the couple bought Wagenblast’s interest.

It’s been a successful business due to Ray Scott’s being a strong believer in customer service, said his son Ron, 49, who worked for more than 31 years at the store where he was manager until last Friday. He quoted his father as saying, “Success (is) built with service. You can’t buy it anywhere. … Offering the service to the customer is why they come back to you.”

Rate hikes & more in Monte mayor’s budget
MONTESANO — Mayor Ron Schillinger’s proposed budget isn’t that much different from the budgets submitted by department heads except for three little things: He includes water and sewer rate hikes, slashes the municipal court budget nearly 26 percent and adds $13,500 to promote clerk-controller Kristy Powell to city administrator, which would be a new position.

The total budget is $7.9 million, including all funding sources and reserves. The general fund totals nearly $2.2 million.

Swine flu strikes amid vaccine shortage
MONTESANO — Call it Tenino’s revenge. The week after Montesano shellacked a swine flu-decimated Beavers squad homecoming night, Monte’s students started calling in sick. Who knew both Beavers and Bulldogs could get swine flu?

Last week, the bug spread to Eagles, Acorns and Grizzlies; higher-than-usual absentee rates were reported last week at some schools in Elma, Oakville and Hoquiam, respectively, Public Health Director Joan Brewster said Tuesday.

Currently only Oakville Elementary School and Central Park School are reporting absentee rates higher than 10 percent, the trigger for required reporting, Brewster said. She cautioned that not all absences are due to flu, as other viruses have recently been making the rounds.

County Relay for Life again tops in nation
SEATTLE — For the second year in a row, Grays Harbor County Relay For Life events raised more money per capita than most Relay events in the nation.

The combined totals of the East Grays Harbor and Grays Harbor relays earned the county second place nationwide per capita and first in the 11-state Great West Division, said Brooke Long-acre, spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society in Grays Harbor County. Last year’s combined total was $476,014; per person in Grays Harbor County, the amount comes to $6.22, she said. The rankings were announced Oct. 24 at the American Cancer Society’s regional summit in Seattle.

More Sports

Dogs seal league title with blow out of Winlock
WINLOCK — Utilizing their signature defense Montesano held Winlock scoreless, while the Bulldog offense had no problem racking up points in a 65-0 1A Evergreen League football victory Friday, Oct. 30, at Winlock.

Montesano wasted no time securing the win, the Bulldogs owned a 33-0 lead after just one quarter of play.

Craig McAlpin got things rolling for the Bulldogs with an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown. McAlpin also was on the receiving end of 54-yard touchdown connection between himself and quarterback Josh Tyler in the first. The Monte quarterback also hit Kale Trimble for a 52-yard hookup, before rushing for a 56-yard keeper. When added to Gabe West’s 15-yard touchdown run, Montesano was in the driver’s seat, 33-0 heading into the second stanza.

Eagles flirt with post-season following win over Hoquiam
ELMA — With a trio of Eagle rushers surpassing the century mark in yardage, Elma controlled the tempo and ultimately the game during a 48-14 2A Evergreen Conference football victory over Hoquiam on Friday, Oct. 30, at Davis Field.

With the win, Elma improved to 2-5 in league play, and 3-6 overall for the season. The Eagles’ league record pulled them into a five-way tie for the final playoff spot, but Elma went winless in a jamboree style tiebreaker Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Lacey, which ended the Eagles’ 2009 season.