A new generation of large motor lifeboats will begin protecting local mariners thanks to advocacy by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell. It is possible they will be modeled on Canada’s new fleet of 19-meter vessels that are said to be “capable of safe operation in extreme weather up to Beaufort Force 12 conditions and are able to survive in 12 meter (40 foot) seas.”

There’s a lot of good news floating around our beautiful communities. Some of it has been covered in the Chinook Observer, while in other cases our detailed coverage is still in process while we await final go-aheads for various projects.

As 2022 ends, the editor brings your attention to a few of the positive news items that are moving forward. This isn’t an all-inclusive list of what we’re aware of, but please feel free to drop us a line at editor@chinookobserver.com if there are stories you think we may be overlooking.

• Funding for large new motor lifeboats for the Pacific Northwest coast — up to two each for major U.S. Coast Guard stations like Cape Disappointment — is the kind of good news that only happens once in a blue moon. It didn’t happen by accident. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and her staff deserve tremendous credit for years of behind-the-scenes work that came to fruition last week with inclusion of startup program funds in omnibus federal spending legislation. It’s impossible to overstate how important this is for lifesaving and the coastal economy.

• After languishing for much of the past 20 years, renewal is on the cusp for downtown Ilwaco. Abigail Mack’s vision for the landmark Doupé/Aberdeen Packing Building is dazzling and achievable. From an embarrassing eyesore, the monolithic structure is on its way to becoming a residential and commercial space that could inspire other achievements, as Liberty Theater restoration did in downtown Astoria. Abigail deserves our wholehearted support. Less obviously, the Tre-Fin Foods project is another restoration/renovation that promises new life for a structure that seemed to be orphaned.

• The Dylan Jude Harrell Community Center nearing realization near the Port of Ilwaco will enrich the lives of Peninsula young people with activities that supplement those available at Ocean Beach schools. Named for an inspirational little girl, it promises to fulfill a decades-old local aspiration for a high-quality indoor sports/learning facility. In a different way, the Ilwaco Community Forest is also a powerful step toward community empowerment, giving the town stewardship of its own watershed.

• Toward the north end of the peninsula, the Port of Peninsula in Nahcotta under the leadership of its board and Manager Jay Personius continues both serving its core commercial constituency and expanding its economic development portfolio. For example, although a Nahcotta-Tokeland ferry may be an idea either before or long after its time, we’d always prefer to see ambitious plans rather than stale ones or none at all.

• In Long Beach, it’s good to see everything coming into place for an extensive rebuild of the boardwalk. It has held up well over more than three decades, thanks to the usual excellent upkeep by the Long Beach City Crew and materials that have endured harsh Northwest maritime weather. But it’s definitely time for major work. Serving as the anchor for the city’s signature trail system — one that can and should be expanded — the boardwalk was an inspired piece of community infrastructure.

• In Seaview, the Trusty family’s investment in Chico’s Pizza and Laurie’s Homestead Breakfast House promises to bring new vitality to beloved culinary institutions, while the Turner family is proving to be dedicated new stewards of the historic Shelburne Hotel. It’s fantastic seeing them and others invest in our communities. Snow Peak USA’s commitment to a high-end camping resort set to open in 2023 will bring an unprecedented level of outside attention and investment to an interior site in Seaview. In Long Beach, Russell Maize commissioned amazing work on the Castaways building — it’s safe to say it has never looked anywhere close to as classy as it does now. And he has other brilliant plans for the old Fun Rides site. And those of us who fondly recall Roy Starr like the idea that his little grocery store has been restored to that function across from the post office.

• On a political level, it was incredible having three contested races for major county leadership roles. The interest and energy shown by the successful challengers offer a promise of improved service and accountability in important jobs that largely happen out of sight of the general public. You never know what you’re going to get until a public servant has had some time on the job, but we wish them well. Their success will help all of us succeed. Thanks also to the departing incumbents, who did their best as they saw it. It’s one of the sad truths of elective office that someone has to win and someone else has to lose. It takes more fortitude than most of us have to put yourself on the line in that way.

We could certainly go on, but as we noted up top, this doesn’t aim to mention every positive development we’ve noticed in the past year. For now, let it be enough to remark that there is plenty to counterbalance all the gloom and doom that gets so much attention in our region, state, nation and world.