Locate an Auto Repair Shop in Kelso, Washington

Dozens of tickets were issued during a recent speeding patrol emphasis by police in Cowlitz County. Officials conducted the emphasis patrols between July 15 and Aug. 7 — and issued 63 speeding tickets, according to a press release from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. In addition to speeding drivers, officers also arrested three people on felony warrants, seven more on misdemeanor warrants and made one arrest for driving under the influence. Officers also issued a reckless driving citation, four for cell phone infractions, five seat belt tickets, and identified 12 uninsured motorists and six suspended or revoked license infractions. No citations were issued for driving in the Left lane. Officers from the Castle Rock, Kelso, Longview and Woodland police departments, the Cowlitz County Sheriff's office and the Washington State Patrol took part in the emphasis patrol. The extra patrols were paid for with a grant aimed at reducing traffic accidents and fatalities. According to the traffic commission, more than 40 percent of all traffic fatalities involve a speeding driver. Daily News 13 Aug 11

Washougal Mayor Sean Guard will face a misdemeanor charge in Cowlitz County for a December incident in which he allegedly used the emergency lights on his city-owned vehicle to pass slower traffic on Interstate 5, a court official said today. Guard has a July 6 arraignment date for a gross misdemeanor charge of criminal impersonation in the second degree of a law-enforcement officer, said Delaura Wirkkala, a Cowlitz County court administrator. Gross misdemeanors carry maximum penalties of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. A Washington state trooper stopped Guard Dec. 24 after allegedly witnessing him flashing emergency lights on I-5 near Kelso to urge slower-moving vehicles into the right lane. The Washington State Patrol forwarded the trooper's report to the Cowlitz County's Prosecutor's Office for further review. ;)

I've just read the link to Admiral Hopper. What a great woman! I may be getting old as I don't remember her but I do remember Rickover, Holloway, Kelso, and a few other Admirals some who were CNO's. Mack

A year ago, Kalama-based NorthStar Yachts owner Jerry Clark sat on the dock at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in Florida and realized his business needed to change to survive. Potential customers were touring a nearly identical 80-foot yacht in a neighboring slip, but they were ignoring NorthStar's boat because the Chinese-built competitor was selling for $2 million less, said Clark, chief operating officer of NorthStar. "The consumer has become more price-driven," said Clark, 46. "They are willing to accept it being built offshore." So Clark, a Longview resident, started thinking about moving his operations to Zhuhai, China's boat-manufacturing region. He said he made 10 trips to Zhuhai in the past year and "was really surprised at the growth there. It was the opposite of what I imagined." Clark, who worked through translators in China, settled on a pre-built spec factory and laid off the firm's 60 employees in January after NorthStar's plant at the Port of Kalama finished its last U.S.-made yacht. "I've been working with some of these guys for 20 years. We have a family-type relationship," Clark said. "This was a tough decision, but it was either this or close the doors." This is the first major Cowlitz County firm to pull anchor and move oversees, said Ted Sprague, president of the Cowlitz Economic Development Council. However, he said, it is unlikely more will follow suit and outsource production to China, the world's most populous country. "Often times it depends on the capital investments here," he said. "There's a lot of risk moving oversees. Typically, either the capital investment for a company here is so large or the investment is so large that companies won't move." From its Kalama plant, NorthStar made 80-foot to 125-foot long yachts costing between $6 million and $13 million. In China, the luxury boats can be manufactured for about $2 million less with the same number of workers and allow NorthStar to offer more boat options, said Clark, who has been in the boat-building business 28 years. Clark said he had no alternative for keeping the company afloat. Clark followed his father and grandfather into the boat building profession. All three worked for Tollycraft Yachts in Kelso. In 1997, Tollycraft shut down after more than 60 years making boats. Clark bought the company and moved it to Kalama in 1998. The Daily News, 18 Sep 07

Or the episode when Kelso wants to buy Leo's late '60s El Camino, and tries to borrow money from Jackie. He tries to to explain to her why it's so cool: "Jackie, it's Spanish for 'the Camino'!!" :)