Longview Daily News from Longview, Washington • 1

Theatre makeover adjustment 1 SOARING COSTS FORCE COLUMBIA THEATRE BOARD TO RETOOL LONG-AWAITED RENOVATIONS 1 THIS DAY PAGE Cl Periods of rain 4 A High 41 Low 35 Page D6 he Daily news Thursday December 20 2007 75 cents -r Serving the Lower Columbia area since 1923 from Longview Wash The Daily News online: wwwtdncom ft Six counties added to FEMA flood-relief list Wahkiakum County is among additions nearly 5000 families have applied for aid THE DAILY NEWS AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS will include infrastructure including roads and bridges water control facilities buildings and equipment utilities and parks recreational and other facilities The six new counties also will get the full coverage eral disaster declaration Wednesday as FEMA doubled the number of counties eligible for flood relief as a result of the Dec 2-3 wind and rainstorm Gov Chris Gregoire commended the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its quick response declaration added Clallam Jefferson King Skagit Snohomish and Wahkiakum to the list of Washington counties declared eligible for assistance The aid includes repair of public infrastructure No new tally of damage was available Wednesday but as of last week Wahkiakum County officials reported a storm-related tally of $800000 in losses Of that damage included about $500000 to county road systems $56000 in debris cleanup and $4600 damage to county buildings Sheriff Dan Bardsley told the Wahkiakum County Eagle Grays Harbor Kitsap Lewis Mason Pacific and Thurston were declared eligible on Dec 8 although aid was limited to reimbursement for debris removal and emergency protection measures The eligibility now Wahkiakum County and five other Washington counties were added to the fed See FEMA Page A4 Taking on the Corps Woodland family is determined not to allow government's Columbia River channeling project to slice up its farmland Panel hears support for Willow Grove housing plan By Tony Lystra 1 JB DAILY NEWS ipporters of a Camas plan to build upscale homes on Willow Grove said Wednesday night that the project would be good for the economy and preserve the rural quality of the area think as a community we need to take a look at bringing in new industry said Dean Gehrman a real estate agent who lives on Beacon Hill going to do that we have to step outside the box We have to bring the quality of life for other leaders of industry to come here This we have not Gehrman and others told the Cowlitz County Planning Commission that Willow Grove one of the last agricultural areas See Willow Grove Page A4 Australian firm buys Steelscape Margaret Coif Hepola and her son Bob Coif want to sell their land off Dike Road In Woodland to government agencies which want to use it to create new wetlands By Leila Summers THE DAILY NEWS BlueScope regains ownership of Kalama coating company By Erik Olson THE DAILY NEWS Steelscape Inc a steel coating company that owns a plant at the Port of Kalama has been sold by an Argentinian company back to its former Australian owner BlueScope Steel along with three other holdings for a total of $730 million The move allows BlueScope Steel to expand its presence in the North American steel market according to Paul chief executive officer of BlueScope The acquisition is expected to be complete in early 2008 Along with Steelscape Varco Pruden Buildings Metl-Span and ASC Profiles were also sold to BlueScope Steel Headquartered in Kalama Steelscape also has plants in Rancho Cucamonga Calif and Fair-field Ala The Kalama plant employs 450 people See Steelscape Page A4 Family members said they worked hard over many years to expand their original homestead grazing cattle on a 447 acre-tract on Martin Island north of Woodland Bottoms along Interstate 5 In 1999 they bought 105 acres in the Woodland Bottoms where raising wheat hay grass seed sweet com and barley this year The Coifs have so far resisted the commercial industrial and residential growth that is squeezing out the farming way of life in the Woodland Bottoms And for the last eight years waged a David vs Goliath battle against lower Columbia River ports and the US Army Corps of Engineers See Coif Page A4 WOODLAND Bob Coif eyes several horses grazing in a pasture as he steers his pickup to a large red barn He spots one horse with its head jerked to the side attempting to nibble Christmas lights strung on a fence probably swallowed two of your bulbs Coif jokingly tells a farmhand as he walks into the barn The air is cool crisp and quiet out on the farm located up the Lewis River near Merwin Dam an area farmed since 1874 Her songs bring an air of harmony to the chaos of Christmas season i 2 I CSof CHRISTMAS and guitar brought a measure of holiday cheer to the madness though fingers are frozen right she said as she took a break from song and guitar Monday Smedley 35 has volunteered once a week at the center since last year doing whatever needs doing she said Originally from Indiana Smedley moved to Woodland when her husband took a job at Lifeport where he installs medical equipment in aircraft Her performance Monday helped revive memories of singing Christmas carols with her family By Leila Summers THE DAILY NEWS WOODLAND Shopping carts crashed and banged around her A cold wind blew through the door numbing her fingers But Laura sweet soprano voice brought a measure of warmth and order to the chaos at the Woodland Community Service Center on Monday the social service busiest day of the year The agency which provides food clothing and other help to low-income people shuts down for three weeks during Christmas The day before the extended shutdown is bedlam This is the second year voice note: The faces of series profiles local people who help make the season bright Roger Werth The Daily News Woodland resident Laura Smedley sings Christmas tunes and a few originals at the Woodland Community Service Center on Monday See Smedley Page A4 I INDEX Salvation Army bell-ringer gets stunning surprise COMING THIS WEEK IN THE DAILY NEWS Area News B1 Business A5 Classifieds El Comics C2 Crossword E6 Obituaries B2 Sports D1 This Day Cl Viewpoint A7 Weather D6 SINGING IN THE NEW YEAR Natalie Grant brings Christian songs and spirit to Longview No place like Take a tour of some of million-dollar homes and meet their owners i i pT tj nnp Capt Gerald Mor-F 1 JL0 1 gan a spokesman A for the Savation vilrciiy Army of Greater Philadelphia The man remembered being given coffee and doughnuts while serving in World War II and wanted to return the kindness Morgan said His name was on the check and he has given large amounts in the past but he asked the Salvation Army not to identify him EXTON Pa An Army veteran who remembered getting free coffee and doughnuts from the Salvation Army decades ago gave a $10000 check to a dumbfounded bell-ringer "The $10000 is to help pay for my coffee and donuts" he said in a handwritten note signed "Seems fair to me after 40 years with inflation and everything" The man gave the check to a volunteer outside a department store at the Exton Mall on Friday said Prep results: Mossyrock Toutle Lake girls take to the court riruBB i i.