Ashtown raises funds for fallen Nippon worker, regular trivia player
A weekly trivia game held at a local Longview brewery will rename its trophy in honor of one of the fallen workers from the fatal tank failure at Nippon Dynawave.
Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help
Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to The Daily News.
John Forsberg, 51, of Longview, left an imprint on Kole Musgrove.
Musgrove, who was born in Kelso but now lives in Chehalis, hosts weekly trivia at Longview's Ashtown Brewery, where Forsberg was a regular.
Musgrove told The Daily News that Forsberg was a kindhearted man who was "crazy, wicked smart" when it came to trivia facts.
When the tank ruptured on May 26 and spilled an estimated 600,000 gallons of white liquor at the Longview paper mill, Forsberg's team didn't show up to trivia.
"We didn't think much of it," said Musgrove.
But as news of the spill spread on social media, he and other regulars began to fear the worst.
On May 30, the Cowlitz County Coroner officially released Forsberg's name as one of the 11 killed.
Soon-to-be renamed John Forsberg Cup
The soon-to-be renamed John Forsberg Cup at Ashtown Brewing Company on Tuesday, June 9, in Longview. Forsberg, who died in the May 26 Nippon chemical spill, was a regular at the bar's trivia night, which awards the cup to the season winner.
Trivia benefit raises thousands
A week after the tank rupture, a trivia game benefit was held in honor of Forsberg.
Ashtown Brewery donated $2 for every purchase of Longview Lager, Forsberg's favorite beer at the 11th Avenue bar.
Ashtown owner Jarrett Skreen said Forsberg's team won the league cup several times.
He described those who attended the fundraiser as a "small community," which included Forsberg's family and friends.
Musgrove agreed.
"It was the most packed I've seen Ashtown in my life," said Musgrove. "It was standing room only for trivia … and that they were all there for John."
The trivia event raised over $2,000 in donations, while the beer sales contributed another roughly $200, said Musgrove. Skreen said over 100 servings of Longview Lager were sold.
Janey Bochart, Forsberg's ex-wife and mother to his two children, thanked Ashtown Brewing and Musgrove for organizing the event.
"A total of $2,409 was raised for Zach and Margot," she said in a statement. "This support will help the kids as they navigate the loss of their father, both emotionally and financially. Thank you to everyone who participated and showed their support."
Renaming the trophy
Forsberg's favorite trivia topics included pop culture, especially 1980s TV shows. When questions of old films were asked, Forsberg "seemed to know that right off the bat," said Musgrove.
Forsberg's team won a lot, he added, but he was also one of the first to cheer for others' success.
In an ongoing tribute to Forsberg, Musgrove said the trivia league's trophy will be renamed the John Forsberg Cup.
At the end of the trivia's 10-week season, the team with the most points wins the cup.
However, continuing the game night will also be hard. The first event without Forsberg felt like "we were missing a friend," said Musgrove.
Every week for the past two years, the pair enjoyed friendly, casual conversations.
"You miss that when it's gone," he said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include information from John Forsberg's family.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 6:19 PM.