Saturday Thumbs

North Kelso's man of the year (thumbs up) We've talked to absentee landlords who could be fairly called "slumlords." We've found them more concerned about having their names in the newspaper than the problems their neglect creates for neighborhoods. With this in mind, we could hardly believe reading (Feb. 3) about Corvallis resident Jesse Coombs, who bought an apartment complex in North Kelso that was so troubled it was known as "Felony Flats." As Daily News writer Amy M.E. Fischer reported, Coombs cleaned up the apartments with the same gusto he shows as a professional kayaker taking on waterfalls. Coombs doesn't live in Kelso, but he's earned consideration for citizen of the year.