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Living on a Lake in the Country: Live Events at The
Birkenfeld Store Add Spice to Life
By Gayle Rich-Boxman
My husband, Larry, and I discovered Fishhawk
Lake, our “dream home,” by accident/divine
intervention in 2002. We were weekenders here until
5+ years ago when we sold our home in Beaverton in 4
hours, left the urban sprawl for a lake in the country and
never looked back! I am a realtor specializing in this
slice of paradise called Fishhawk Lake in Birkenfeld,
Oregon.
I recently interviewed Mike and Wendy
Ingraham, owners of the Birkenfeld Store, whose
variety of offerings for things to do in the Birkenfeld
community, including Fishhawk Lake, is ever-
increasing. Mike and Wendy’s ability to provide the
best in live entertainment at “The Birk” has added
another great reason to live way out here! The live
events happen every Saturday night, unless they have a
prior event that takes precedence.
It is dance music with no cover charge and
starts at 7:00 PM and goes until 10:00 PM. The styles
can range from a solo artist to 6-piece bands. The
Inside The Birk
genres range from 50’s oldies, to classic rock and roll,
to country and blues music-- a little something for most
everyone.
Along with music, you can indulge in wine or
beer and their regular menu offers snacks, burgers, and
grilled sandwiches. Mike and Wendy usually add two
dinner specials on music nights with the whole menu
selection ranging from $2-$14.
2011
9
This all got started last
year, thanks to the interest of two
bands, Lock Stock&Barrel and the
Linda Meyers Band, who were all
instrumental (pardon the pun!) in
getting music back to the old “dance
hall” venue that this building used
to be, on its 100-year anniversary.
Lock Stock&Barrel are self-
described as “red dirt country” and
mostly showcase their own music,
sort of an outlaw country style, and
they have a new CD available now.
Why is it that these talented
musicians want to come “way out
to the middle of nowhere?” It’s
because, as an audience, we deliver!
Wendy and Mike Ingraham. Photos by Gayle Rich-Boxman.
As Mike and Wendy put it, “...it’s
by Kimberly Hall and Timmy B who played a variety
the crowd, the attentiveness and friendliness that the
of music from The Eagles to Bonnie Raitt and took
audience shows. It overwhelms them.”
requests.
Because of the intimate venue that The
We all had a great time and the wine was good,
Birkenfeld Store offers, it allows the musicians
too!
to feel really close to the audience and this
heartwarming, open and friendly atmosphere
Gayle Rich-Boxman, is a Broker with Vernonia
typifies what Birkenfeld and the Fishhawk Lake
Realty; you can reach her at (503) 755-2905 or
community are.
richbox@centurytel.net.
Another plus for the musicians is
that they get to stay overnight at the
Birkenfeld Store, so they have an
early evening and don’t have to face a
ride home if they want to stay and go
back to their homes the next day.
During the summer months, “The
Birk” has performances outdoors
on their various decks, overlooking
vast greenery with mountains in the
background and gobs of uncluttered
skies. They try to start this in June for
Father’s Day if weather allows and it
goes until August.
A group of us from Fishhawk
Lake had a private, catered Valentine’s
Day Dinner at the Birkenfeld Store and my
husband and I attended, along with roughly
20+ other people. We had a scrumptious
The Ingrahams’ “bouncers”-- Skully (in foreground) and Jaeger on the
dinner (I had prawns that were fabulous).
deck taking in the view.
Then we got to enjoy live music
Trade Adjustment Columbia County to Hold CPAC Elections
Assistance Available
for Stimson
Workers
in Clatskanie
Former workers of Stimson Lumber Company,
Clatskanie, Oregon that have been laid off may be
eligible for training funds and other benefits through
the Trade Act program.
On February 14th, 2011, the Department of
Labor certified workers who are laid off from Stimson
Lumber Company Clatskanie, Oregon between May
18th, 2008 and February 14th, 2013, as eligible for the
Trade Act program.
This program offers reemployment assistance,
training, job search allowances, relocation
allowances, and a health coverage tax credit. Also,
additional unemployment benefits in the form of Trade
Readjustment Allowances may be payable to eligible
workers in approved training. Information about the
Trade Act program is available on the internet in a slide
show format at http://www.employment.oregon.gov/
EMPLOY/multimedia/Web/Trade_Act_Overview/a_
Start.swf. You may also visit the Department of Labor
web site at www.doleta.gov/tradeact.
There are deadlines to many of the Trade
Act benefits so please be sure to contact a Trade Act
representative at (877) 639-7700 or at (800) 436-6191
to ask questions about how to request the Trade Act
program benefits and services.
Columbia County will be
holding Citizen Planning Advisory
Committee (CPAC) elections for those
positions whose terms are expiring.
CPAC’s provide advice and
recommendations to the County Land
Use Planning entities, including the
Planning Department, the Planning
Commission and the Board of County
Commissioners.
Each CPAC is divided into
neighborhoods. Members represent
neighborhoods in which they reside or
own property. Residents and/or property
owners within the neighborhoods elect
their CPAC members. There must be at
least five voters from each neighborhood
to hold an election for the neighborhood.
In order to be eligible to vote you must
show either picture identification proving
that you live in the CPAC neighborhood
where you will cast your ballot; or a tax
statement proving that you own property
within the neighborhood where you are
voting. You may only vote once in your
CPAC area.
CPAC elections will be held in
the following locations:
We saddle shoe. Do you?
Muffy’s
950 Bridge Street
Vernonia, O8 97064
503.429.5050 or 866.524.5050
www.muffys.com
World Headquarters Vernonia, Oregon
Upper Nehalem, Thursday
May 5, 2011 at 7:00 PM, Vernonia City
Hall, 1001 Bridge Street; Scappoose-
Spitzberg, May 10, 2011 at 6:30 PM,
Scappoose Library; Mist-Birkenfeld,
Tuesday May 17, 2011 at 7:00 PM,
Natal Grange; St Helens-Columbia City,
Thursday May 19 at 6:00 PM, Columbia
County Courthouse.
For more information about the
boundaries of the CPAC and the elections
process, please contact Glen Higgins, Chief
Planner, Land Development Services,
County Courthouse, 503-397-1501.
WELLER & SON’S
STEVE
HM: 503-429-3400
CELL: 503-313-9006
SELF LOADER
LONG LOGGER
CUSTOM LOGGING
DENNIS
HM: 503-429-2810
CELL: 503-313-9044
1264 G ST.
VERNONIA, OR 97064
O.P.L. CERTIFIED
O.P.L.H. CERTIFIED
ROAD BUILDNIG
LAND CLEARING
EXCAVATION
Grey Dawn Gallery
879 Bridge St. (503) 429-2787
Photography - Bronze
Jewelry - Glasswork
Pottery - Custom Framing
www.greydawngallery.com
Featuring the finest in northwest art
