Goldendale Sentinel April 24, 2024

FOR THE

Klickitat County Commissioners gave explanations for some recent actions at their meeting April 16, including why Commission Chair Lori Zoller canceled the town hall meeting that had been scheduled for that evening. It should be noted that Commissioners Dan Christoper and Jake Anderson both said they were not involved in that decision.

The question came up during public comment, asked by Luke Throop, the new news director for Gorge Country Media, which operates KLCK, Y102, and other stations locally. It is the Klickitat County Commissioners’ custom to let everyone in the public express their comments before responding to any of them, so commissioners did not respond immediately.

The next person to comment, though, was Greg Wagner, who said, “I can answer Luke Throop’s question. I received an email this morning from Alicia Grumbles the clerk, and the reason the town hall was canceled was because Mr. Throop announced on his show that it would be about the sheriff and the jail.”

When it came time for commissioners to respond, Zoller said she had concerns because the previous town hall had been sharply heated. “It was not civil discourse,” she said, “and it was very threatening and upsetting to some people in the room as well as staff.

“When Friday came, I had emails of concern about being able to speak because they felt like they’d be shouted down because that meeting had been put on local radio by Luke Throop,

stating it was the sheriff’s town hall. That hijacked our meeting.”

We contacted Throop, who provided an audio copy of the newscast in question, which took place April 8. After an opening story about the agenda for The Dalles City Council that evening, he said, “The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office has announced an upcoming town hall to discuss the proposed closure of the Klickitat County Jail. The town hall is scheduled for next Tuesday, April 16 from 6-8 p.m. The meeting will take place at the county building and will be available for citizens to attend online.”

Throop also provided a screenshot of a Klickitat County Sheriff’s Facebook page from four days previously, announcing the town hall. It reads: “From Sheriff Songer: There will be a Town Hall meeting in person and on Zoom from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in the Commissioner Chambers in Goldendale [sic].” It then gave the address of the county courthouse and provided a link for the Zoom meeting. It did not mention the subject of the town hall.

In a newscast dated April 10, Throop said this: “At the Klickitat County Board of Commissioners yesterday, the commissioners announced they would be holding a public town hall meeting next Tuesday, April 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the commissioners’ chambers to discuss the matter of closing the Klickitat County Jail. I must apologize; earlier I stated that the sheriff announced the town hall, which was a public announcement made last Friday on the sheriff’s office Facebook page. Yesterday I missed the commissioner’s meeting. I did miss the

Zoller addresses sheriff’s charges

LOU MARZELES

EDITOR

Rep. Mosbrucker will not seek reelection

LOU MARZELES EDITOR

Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale, has decided not to run for reelection to the office she’s held for a decade. She is dedicated to finishing out her current term through the end of the year.

Why the town hall meeting was canceled NEWS ANALYSIS

Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer has charged two county commissioners with ineptitude at the least or outright lying at worst in response to a proposal to close the county jail and instead take prisoners to the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facilities (NORCOR) in The Dalles. He added that the commissioners’ assertions of having detailed, conclusive conversations with NORCOR administrators were false, citing his own communication with sheriffs associated with NORCOR. On Monday County Commission Chair Lori Zoller countered Songer’s claims.

“First, keep in mind the whole situation revolving around the jail is due to actions or lack thereof that happened under Sheriff [Bob] Songer’s watch,” Zoller stated by email.

“Let’s make this very clear.

Over the past year, two events have surfaced that caused potential and pending litigation under Sheriff Songer’s watch. As such, the County is under a microscope for human health, safety, and personal rights.”

Zoller said that legal action against the county would have a ripple effect throughout county offices. “The County as a whole will lose financially, impacting

our Risk Management insurance and potentially our credit rating,” she stated. “That could put the County at risk for future funding and grants. Any budget impacts will have to be taken up in the coming years, and any losses will be spread between the elected and their departments to make up the gap. This does not just impact the Sheriff’s Department. Couple this with continued budget overages, and as responsible officials, the County Commissioners had to take action. She then addressed her communication with NORCOR administration, specifically citing conversations with NORCOR Jail Manager Joyce Orendorff. “During our fact-finding time, many meetings with NORCOR have taken place,” Zoller wrote. “I have met with Joyce Orendorff of NORCOR for discussions about what NORCOR can offer as well as contract considerations. I also know that [Commissioner Jacob] Anderson met with her himself, as well as other members of our staff as needed for information for their work. On another occasion, I met with Ms.

take our proposals to his board meeting the next

“Faith sent me to the Capital,” Mosbrucker reflects. “Now faith is sending me home. It’s time for a new chapter, one I know will be my best yet.”

In her political life, Mosbrucker was always challenged but never lost an election. She earned high regard as one of the rare people in office who could forge strong alliances across party lines to accomplish significant legislative gains. During her tenure, she prime sponsored and co-sponsored over 50 bills into law, an achievement all the more

remarkable given her status as a Republican in a Legislature long held by Democrats. Many of Mosbrucker’s passed bills inspired similar bills in other states.

Her campaign slogan of “Family Strong” remains a core tenet of Mosbrucker’s political approach and now highlights how she approaches her new chapter.

“I’m eternally grateful for my parents,” she says. “I’m looking forward to spending more time with them, with my daughters, and my seven beautiful grand ‘angels,’” as she refers to her grandchildren. Also on her must-do list are acquiring her Master’s degree, building her dream home, working on her businesses (she runs the Quality Inn & Suites in Goldendale and operates the Touch of Class dance studio), continuing to serve the community, and

staying “healthy and happy,” she states. She does not rule out the possibility of returning to politics sometime in the future. “For now,” she says, “I need to pause to spend time closer with the people I’ve been blessed to serve.”

Mosbrucker’s 50-plus bills signed into law began in her first term with her Yes Vets bill in 2015 to support veterans employment. Most prominent among them was the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons bills, closely followed by her legislation on domestic violence and rape kit reform. Recently her anti-fentanyl bills including Ivan’s Law, named in honor of Ivan Howtopat, a young Native American man who committed suicide in the Klickitat County jail during fentanyl withdrawal;

Mosbrucker to hold town hall meeting

Rep. Gina Mosbrucker will hold an in-person legislative town hall meeting in Goldendale on Friday, April 26, to discuss the recently completed legislative session.

“The champions of this year’s legislative session in Olympia are the people of Washington,” said Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale. “They brought us some very significant initiatives to make needed changes in our state. We passed three of those citizen initiatives, including I-2113 that restores the ability for law enforcement officers to engage in vehicular pursuits of criminal suspects. In addition, we provided some vital tools to address the statewide fentanyl crisis. Plus, we were able to prevent tax increases while bringing money home for local projects. Many people have asked me about the session since it adjourned on March 7. This is an opportunity to answer their questions and reconnect to the local community. I hope to see everyone there.”

Town Hall Meeting: Friday, April 26 - 6:30 p.m.7:30 p.m. Quality Inn and Suites Hotel

more information may contact Mosbrucker’s Olympia office: Rep. Gina Mosbrucker Phone: (360) 786-7856 Email:

Time to get serious about screen-time danger

Corynn Kayser For The Sentinel

Phone usage in classrooms has always seemed a controversial topic. Although electronics can be a great tool for research, communication, and note-taking, some negative effects on education have been seen.

Increased screen time, especially time spent on cell phones, has been linked to detriments to the brain as well as psychological, cognitive, sleep, and behavioral issues in children. It may also shorten a child’s attention span and encourage aggressive or violent behavior. When children have their cell phones in the classroom, it can become a huge distraction to teaching. Students may become more focused on what is going on behind the

screen than on what they are supposed to be learning. The effects of electronics and screen time on the psychological health of youth is something that needs to be addressed. When a child constantly has unlimited screen time, it can hurt them in more ways than we may think.

Research shows that anxiety levels rise with increased usage, and these devices may become the primary object of adolescent attention. The absence of in-person interactions can contribute to depression. Health professionals are also concerned about the link between excessive social media use and high levels of anxiety, particularly in undeveloped brains. Constantly interrupting their peace, screens need to unplug so students can experience the real world. Being a student in college and having a cell phone on me most of the time, I can attest that these devices can easily disrupt study-

ing, daily tasks, attention spans, and more. There have been many instances where I have had to leave my phone in another room to be able to stay on task and be disciplined enough to get my duties completed without the endless distractions it brings.

As far as the classroom goes, I believe cell phones can be a great tool for the upper grades if used properly. That being said, when a lesson is being taught and the device is being used for anything other than note-taking, that is when electronics become an issue.

You spend less time engaging with people face-to-face the more time you spend staring at a device. Strong relationships and connections with others are crucial for both the general public and individual mental health, but they become increasingly challenging to build as a result of runaway screen time. When

(“FOMO” above means Fear of Missing Out.)

New grant begins with focus on Ekone Park

A new partnership centering around civic engagement has been formed at Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP).

Recently, Cristian Olivares and Ben Noble have been made co-directors on a mission to engage low-income residents as partners in building thriving communities.

“Both Cristian and Ben bring unique experiences, perspectives, and skillsets to the role, and they will make an excellent team,” said Jennifer Pauletto, WAGAP’s associate director. She said both are internal hires regularly engaging with clients and community members.  Olivares most recently worked with the Skamania County Emergency Warming Shelter team out of WAGAP’s Stevenson Office. He is focused on bringing more members of the Latino community into efforts to improve lives of all residents.

“I want to help provide resources that our Latino community members need to break the barriers of participation,” Olivares said. He noted it is often difficult for them to go to meetings, especially during workdays. He said getting time off work, having options for

childcare, and the burden of transportation costs can be serious obstacles to having a presence and voice at events and activities.  Noble will continue to support WAGAP housing teams with conflict resolution management as he broadens his scope into civic engagement. He sees the two areas as complementary, noting that he expects to use conflict resolution skills in support of getting more people involved with their local governments.  “I’m drawn to understand the challenges that leaders and the people face in the community,” Noble said. He said he wants to help bridge the gap of communication between them so they can have meaningful conversations about big issues. He cited topics like lack of affordable housing and major projects like building a new bridge between White Salmon and Hood River and how it will impact local residents during the years of construction.

The pair will first focus on helping to promote the cleanup of Ekone Park in Goldendale, scheduled for Saturday, May 11, between 9 a.m. and noon. This event is being sponsored by the East Houseless Task Force

in Klickitat County and was spun out of a meeting in late 2023 where local residents, city council, county commissioners, and law enforcement shared that there was a need for community engagement to keep the park clean and safe for all residents.

Getting people more engaged will be on both Olivares’ and Noble’s radar. Olivares is working on ideas to increase the number of Latinos who are registered to vote and participate in city council meetings. Noble is also excited to support people and groups across Klickitat and Skamania counties to be active in decision-making, including the Indigenous community.

“To be clear, the work our team is doing in civic engagement is nonpolitical,” Pauletto said. “No party affiliations are associated with any of these activities. The goal is to get more people involved so decision-making is more representative of all of those who live in the Gorge, including our low-income residents who come from all walks of life.”

This work is being made possible by the Inatai Foundation, which has awarded WAGAP a twoyear, $250,000 grant.

G OLDENDALE ’ S A TTIC

Answer to last week´s Mystery Picture

This picture has been colorized. Jerrod Swearingen gave us enough information

This week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture

Six young people sitting in front of—what? A school building? Can’t quite tell, but then we don’t know how long ago this was, so things could have changed

over years. What do you suppose was going on here? Who are these people? Why were they having their picture taken? We have no idea. All we know is that

this picture ran in The Sentinel sometime, lost in the annals of yesteryear. If you know anything about it, please send us an email (info@goldendalesenti-

nel.com), or give us a call (509-773-3777), or drop in at the office—and remember, you’re welcome to come in and take a look at the original photograph.

L OOKING BACK

April 23, 1904 – 120 Years Ago

Cleveland - On Saturday morning about 6 a.m., the clarion cry of fi re was heard. All our people promptly responded, gathering at the hotel of W. A. McCredy where great volumes of dense black smoke were issuing from the roof. It was soon to be seen that the building could not be saved, and the efforts of the fi refi ghters were devoted to saving the contents. In less than 30 minutes from the alarm, the hotel was totally consumed, with only a few posts on the side walls standing. Owing to the intense heat, just a few of the household goods were saved, although valiant deeds were done in the effort to save more. Master John VanNostern, who was asleep when the fi re started, had a narrow escape and succeeded in escaping in his underclothes.

The loss is not less than $2,500, covered by insurance of $500 on the house and contents. It is the intention to rebuild at once, erecting a larger and more commodious hotel.

April 16, 1914 – 110 Years Ago

It is well to note that several hundred trees have been set out along the streets in Goldendale this spring. Most of these trees are Norway Maple and recommended for shade purposes. They were ordered from the Pacific Nursery Company of Portland, through Edward Abeling, and are all strong and sturdy trees. There is likewise an improvement in many parking strips by seeding to white clover this spring. In two or three years, Goldendale will resemble a garden spot from one end to the other. Clean broad streets, with plenty of shade and beautiful lawns, will greet the eye of the visitor and impress him more than anything else. Attractiveness in a town denotes good citizens and a desirable environment.

April 8, 1944 – 80 Years Ago

Sheriff Woodward has extended his hospitality at the local Bastille to 201 persons during the past year.

April 8, 1944 – 80 Years Ago

Katherine Frostrup, 23, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Frostrup of Bickleton was included in a class of 1,029 WAVs graduated from a five-week indoctrination course at the Naval Training School, Women’s Reserve, on the campus of Iowa State Teachers College. She was commissioned Ensign USNR on May 2, having completed training at the Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s school, North Hampton, Mass. [Following the war, Katherine Frostrup would become known as Mrs. Max (Micky) Katherine Slater of Bickleton.]

April 15, 1954 – 70 Years Ago

A fi re lookout atop Lorena Butte near Goldendale is under construction by the State Division of Forestry. Monday James O. Mullins, district warden, and his assistant, George Driver, came over from Glenwood to haul materials to the lofty site. Completion is set for early next week. With the season of fi re danger near at hand, the post will be activated about June 1, at which time the attendant will be named. The lookout, housed in a 14- by 14-foot cubby, will rest on an 8-foot rock formation. It replaces the former post at Simcoe Butte, five miles west of Satus Pass, as the local site affords a better view of the timber stands.

April 21, 1994 – 30 Years Ago

Hattenhauer Distributing has plans to build a mini-mart, retail gas station, and card-lock system in Goldendale next to the post office and across from Goldendale City Hall. Although the company is still waiting for a building permit to start construction, crews are out testing for where the tanks will eventually be put. Hattenhauer said he hopes to have the station operational by the middle of June to get some of the summer gas customers.

April 23, 2014 – 10 Years Ago

“Partners” is a new term used by the Twin Bridges Museum Board instead of “members” because the term of membership entitles a person to something in return. Partnership means we share in our love of community and desire to preserve our ancestors’ heritage for another to enjoy. They wish to invite each of you to join in the partnership and attend their next monthly meeting.

—Richard Lefever Klickitat County Historical Society

August 17, 1944

Air Field Approved For Designation

Joe Princen, of Yakima, flew here Saturday afternoon to view the proposed landing strip at the Robison field. After his investigation, he approved it for designation.

Helen Baxter, who plans

February 1, 1945

to establish a fl ight school here, was flown Wednesday to Pocatello, Idaho, to ferry back her Tailocraft BL plane.

A wind sock has been placed on the field.

Wishram Hoghead Has Whiskers

Perhaps only the Wishram people, or those familiar with railroad language, would be able to interpret the expression “hoghead has most whiskers.” This means, to those in the outer world who speak only English and other foreign languages, that Roy Curtis of Wishram has more seniority as engineer than any other man there.

Curtis, a clean-shaven gentleman with the longest whiskers in Wishram, is able to bump others with shorter whiskers. He was about 25 when he decided to become a railroad man, taking his fi rst job as fi reman in about 1905 on the Great Northern. When asked if he’d had any wrecks, he shrugged his shoulder and said, “Every trainman has had wrecks.

Points to ponder:

They’re part of the game.” Started As Fireman Curtis recalled 1907 when he was firing an engine. A spectacular wreck caused all the cars to burn except the observation car at the end of the passenger train. Curtis escaped with no injuries and considered it all in a day’s work.

He used to travel through Wishram when there was no Wishram. In 1909 he was put on the S. P. & S. as engineer. No one had even thought of the town of Wishram at that time. However, it was necessary to establish a connection with the Oregon trunk line, and Wishram was chosen. It was an ideal location–a semi-circular flat place tucked among the giant rolling Columbia

Arts at Eastern Washington University, for making outstanding contributions to the music program at Goldendale High School. Brunton has participated in Jazz Band, Jazz Choir, and Concert Band while Symonds has participated in Concert Choir and Jazz Choir. They are pictured here with Doug Siegel, GHS band and

hills. Houses were built for the men, and a junction was established in 1910. Although Curtis was on that run, he was not living at Wishram until about 1931.

Several summers ago, Roy Curtis was engineer when his train crashed into the rear of another. He was cleared of all blame in the investigation, as it was a case of improper flagging by the front train. The wreck occurred near Plymouth, some miles from Kennewick. Curtis was taken to the hospital in Pasco, where he was treated for injuries for several days. Because of the great amount of wreckage, trains were routed over a different route. Curtis remembers his trip home from the hospital. He was riding in the observation car on one of the fi rst trains to get through on the old route. Goes Through Wreckage The train crept as slowly as possible through the wreckage that was strewn on either side of the track. Curtis and his fireman must have felt as a man does when he sees his house go up in fl ames. As the train edged forward, he saw the cars splintered and smashed along the tracks. His engine, the pride and joy of all engineers, lay on its side, a twisted mass of wreckage. The passengers in the observation car were looking at the debris and commenting on the wreck, but no one knew that the two bandaged men with them had been survivors of one of the most terrible accidents on that line.

Curtis was laid off for a year as a result of the accident. He is now back on duty running the diesel switch engine in the Wishram yards, shuffl ing freight cars to various tracks.

There are only six engineers out of about 100 on the line who have more whiskers than Roy Curtis.

I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect. Therefore I am perfect.

The amazing thing about my mother is that for 30 years, she served us nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.

I wanted to go to the Paranoids Anonymous meeting, but they wouldn’t tell me where it is.

(Follow-up for “Lady Flyer Would Have Plane Taxi” in April 21, 2024 issue)

OpiniOn

Getting to know County EMS

District No. 1, Part 5

Spring has arrived! People come from all around to enjoy the variety of recreations available here in the Columbia River Gorge. As you may have noticed, the trailhead parking lots are often full with cars spilling out onto roadsides. One example is the Coyote Wall area at the bottom of Courtney Road, where this happens frequently, with many cars parked on the shoulders of Highway 14 and Courtney Road. These parking hazards combined with more drivers on the road looking to recreate, along with more people outside trying to enjoy the nicer weather, are a recipe for more accidents to happen.

Besides traffic accidents, the calls for an ambulance start to increase and continue through summer and into the fall months. These calls are often related to people being ill-prepared for the unpredictable weather conditions and terrain they come upon. Another factor is that their fitness level isn’t always what they thought it was, or they slip and fall, trip and twist an ankle, or sometimes things just don’t go as planned.

Depending on the location of these seasonal emergency calls, it may require a combined effort to get someone rescued from the predicaments we are all capable of getting ourselves into. Sometimes finding the location of a person, especially if they are not on a path, can be difficult. To complicate matters, cell service can be spotty in the Gorge. When called for a trail rescue, depending on the terrain and the type of accident or injury, local fire department(s) are dispatched along with the KCEMS1 ambulance. Search and Rescue (SAR) may be dispatched if needed, and Life Flight is sometimes necessary to transport a more critical patient. The rafting companies offer their assistance for river rescues. In extreme situations, we have also used the assistance of the military to rescue injured people in very difficult terrain. If you see multiple agencies responding to the same recreational area, it is most likely a rescue situation.

Spring also brings with it pollen, so we see more asthma and breathing difficulties. Bee stings and anaphylaxis are more frequent, too. We recommend that people carry their prescribed rescue inhalers and epi-pens with them and check to see that they are not expired.

We at KCEMS want everyone who lives or visits here to have the best recreational experiences. A few springtime safety tips are listed below. Enjoy the coming of warmer weather and be safe out there!

KCEMS1 Safety Tips: Remember to look out for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists when on the road. It can be difficult to see them with added people in our area. Make sure you have the right shoes for your recreating, and always have enough water with you. Watch for slippery rocks when at the rivers, and we recommend wearing a life jacket when near, in,

or on the many rivers and lakes in our area. Children 12 years old and younger must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times when underway in a vessel less than 19 feet in length, unless they are in a fully enclosed area. Also, remember to wear your safety gear when operating any power equipment such as lawnmowers, trimmers, chainsaws, and similar equipment. Accidents do happen, but we can prevent harm to ourselves or others if we take the time. Plan your outings, prevent accidents, practice safety with all activities, and play in this great place we are lucky enough to call home!

KCEMS1 Fun Facts: KCEMS1 has nine crews of two people consisting of a Paramedic and an EMT. We vary in age from early 20s to mid-60s. We have many years of combined experience, with our longest-employed person having been in this field for over 48 years. We have 11 men and seven women. We work as a team; we all train together, and we often socialize and recreate together. We live at our stations with our Paramedic or EMT partner for two full days and sometimes three days out of every six days. A full third of our lives are spent away from home and at one of our three stations. And the most fun fact of all: we love our job!

Burn-out has got to go

The Festival of Wheels gave it another try this year. It seems the attendance has dwindled to much lower levels than when the event was new, 10 years ago. There are a lot of competing car shows this time of year, so it doesn’t surprise me .

This year Goldendale Motorsports Association and ABATE brought back the burn-out, which was tried several times in the past with questionable benefits to the town. This year someone had the brilliant idea to use the old skateboard park as a place to stage the return of the burnout. It was held on the concrete slab, a tempting medium for anyone inclined to bum rubber. Rednecks of many degrees, punk kids or maybe the little old lady from Pasadena. I personally was left with a bad taste in my mouth and lungs. Even though I made it a point to stay away from the burn-out and was at my home where I thought I would escape the noise and smoke, when the toxic cloud rose from the park and drifted over the Little Klickitat River Park (the swimming pool) on to the kids and families at the pool and on to me while I was sitting on my property. We were contaminated by the toxins in the smoke, and my eyes and throat were imitated, and my lungs filled with carbon monoxide and other cancer causing toxic compounds

for three hours. I think the city of Goldendale needs to rethink supporting burnouts in our park. Next year don’t issue a permit to any group that wants to burn-out. There are places in the county where it could be held, just not in the city please. I hate toxic smoke, and you should too.

On Sept 4 I will be asking the mayor and his administration to make an ordinance forbidding anyone from reckless unsafe burnouts in any ones neighborhood or any street in the Goldendale city limits. I would appreciate some support from like-minded citizens at the council meeting. Let them know how you feel.

Ken McKune Goldendale

C

I contacted the bank for an explanation. The answer was essentially that “we wouldn’t do that.” Then why is it in your documents, I asked. The answer was to send me up the chain of command. The second person gave the same answer as the first and then was to have me contacted by some-one higher up. That person has not contacted me after more than a week so I am following through on what I told the bank contacts I was going to do—write a letter to the

Letters from the community

Though I was not out in person to see the eclipse, I was so impressed by images of the shadow of the moon chasing over the Pacific Ocean to Mexico and on up through the states.

But one big impression was that mankind had not a thing to do with this. Couldn’t make it happen or stop it. My Bible tells me God created the sun and the moon—how impressive is that!

I recently received an updated “Terms for Business and Deposit Account Agreement” from Columbia Bank. I am not in the habit of reading the fine print but for some reason this time I did. I came across an “added” line that I found very concerning. Again, this line is both for personal and business accounts. It reads: “We may refuse to open and account and may close your account at any time for any reason or for no reason at all.”

We’re watching you

I just read the Goldendale Sentinel article “Sheriff, commissioners in sharp exchange” online. I take umbrage at the idea that “[Commissioner Dan] Christopher inferred he was a self-appointed watchdog over the other commissioners.”

“For No Reason At All” I particularly found offensive.

Afton Fanger Lyle

Keep it up, Dems

Recently The Sentinel wrote that the right doesn’t write.

Does the right need to write?

Not really.

Every letter members of the radicalized Democratic Party have published is solid evidence of why rational individuals should vote against the failed policies of the left.

For over three years, from the Biden administration failures to their local squawking parrots, their letters have been a perpetual campaign ad in favor of the Republican platform.

Keep it up, Dems. You are proving the right is right.

Dave West Centerville

It is we, the citizens of Klickitat County, who elect you all and who are your watchdogs.

Janet Holen White Salmon

Wrong kind of poster child

An unexpected and possibly negligent death at the Klickitat County jail has county taxpayers looking at a $20 million lawsuit. A subsequent serious medical incident at the jail is another potentially expensive lawsuit waiting in the wings.

Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer recently alleged the actions regarding possibly closing the jail by the Klickitat County Board of Commissioners—who ultimately are “the responsible governing unit with primary responsibility for the operation of the jail and legislature regarding changes in practices or policies to prevent fatalities and strengthen safety and health protections for individuals in custody” (RCW 70.48.510)—are politically motivated. Songer defiantly tells the commissioners to butt out of his business, even though they pay the bills and by law are responsible on behalf of the taxpayers and

Guidelines for Letters

Letters to the

citizens of the county for ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of inmates at the jail.

Unfortunately, Songer may be correct—divisive politics have become part of the law enforcement and jail equation in Klickitat County.

But if you look at the root cause, this politicization lies with the sheriff himself. Most law enforcement agencies behave in a strictly nonpartisan mainstream manner and therefore maintain the dignity of their organizations and respect of a broad swath of the public without regard to politics.

By contrast, Mr. Songer appears to spend a great deal of time on his “Constitutional Sheriff” political agenda. The central tenet of Constitutional Sheriffs is that the county sheriff is the ultimate authority in the county, able to stop enforcement of any federal or state law or measure they personally deem unconstitutional.

The reality is the sheriff has no legal authority to interpret the Constitution or refuse to obey or enforce the laws enacted by the legislative branches of government, despite his right to disagree with a law. Believing this makes Songer and his devotees foes of the rule of law, which is the bedrock of democracy Songer and Culp have led to Klickitat County becoming an embarrassing national poster child for political extremism—with potentially expensive consequences.

Bob Yoesle Goldendale

There is a suggested length limit of about 300 words, though more may be allowed if there are fewer letters. Unsigned letters (including anonymity requests), letters with fictitious signatures, letters with multiple signatures, or letters to public officials are not accepted. Please keep the tone of letters free of rants, wild speculation, unsubstantiated claims, or pointedly personal comments. Letters that go overboard in these directions may be refused publication.

Writers must include name, city/town of residence, and phone number for verification purposes. (Street address is not required, only city or town.)

I need to make some corrections to last week’s news. I learned that Harold Kuhnhausen actually was able to return to his own home in Glenwood before he passed, which is what he told his family he wanted.

Although I don’t have additional names, several others in addition to Raquel and Dan also helped see to the needs of Harold and Bob in their last days. I apologize for inadvertently leaving that out last week. We do have a great, caring community here.

Jerry Dean recently shared news about a visitor to our community who commented on what a nice little town we have. The visitor especially appre -

Just when we thought we were coming to the end of the intermittent single-lane closures of the Hood River Bridge, they have extended it! I’ve searched my inbox and Facebook messages for their announcement but have lost their latest message about the dates the closures will extend to. If memory serves me right— and my memory is not what it used to be—it was going to be indefinitely but still holding the hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Give the Port of Hood of River a call if this is of dire importance to you.

From the High Prairie Fire Dept liaison: “At 11:30 a.m. today, a joint response from High Prairie Fire, Appleton Fire, Lyle Fire, and Department of Natural Resources was initiated to address an out-ofcontrol slash pile fire on Lyle Snowden Road. The crews worked diligently on scene for three hours to extinguish the flames.” The months ahead are about to get worse out there, folks. Be vigilant for any spark escaping your private burn and setting off a huge wildfire. Join our neighbors in High Prairie on Saturday, April 27, for a great fundraising dinner to honor their High Prairie District 14 Firefighters. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. and the event starts at 6 p.m. Plan to join us for a great meal catered by Beneventis of Bingen. They are planning plenty of food and suggest a donation of $20 for adults, $10 for ages 12 and under. Make checks payable to HPCC. The Goldendale Sentinel is holding a space for your senior picture. Be sure to be included in the Lyle School Graduates page. Show your pride and add your highresolution photo to marci. ramsay@LyleSchools.edu by Wednesday, May 1.

ciated all the flags flying on Main Street and other streets here. We all owe a big thanks to Kristopher Nowak and Todd French for keeping the flags flying in Glenwood. Thanks, guys. Both the Middle and High School track teams had meets last week. I don’t have any official results, but I do know that the two middle school girls on the team, Brooklyn Branson and Della Fujita, set new personal records in one of their events at the meet in Trout Lake on Friday. There were 12 schools there, many with almost more kids on their team than we have in our entire middle and high school student body, but our middle school athletes went

I know this is way early, but it needs to be brought to your attention so you can add it to your memory banks. On June 1 from noon to 5 p.m. the Lyle Historical Museum will have its season opening. They have been working in the downtime to create interesting exhibits. And on that day there will be one of their annual fundraiser events. It’s their famous yard sale held in the basement and surrounding outside entryway that will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have many unusual items plus antique collectibles on display both for sale downstairs and for your browsing enjoyment upstairs. Exciting items await you to open your pocket and help keep the museum going by keeping the exhibits in pristine condition. Also on June 1 and 2, our Dallesport neighbors are planning their great community-wide yard sale. The 2024 sale is set for a huge success! Dallesport resident Courtney Blades is organizing and creating the sale map; call or text her at (901) 303-7611 for more information or to get your address on the map! There’s a fun and mindchallenging event coming soon to The Dalles. If you are a puzzle enthusiast and/ or thrill-seeker, this is an adventure you won’t want to miss. The Gorge Hunts Live Action Adventure is on the hunt for 20 teams of five courageous individuals to join them on the 22nd of June from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Lewis and Clark festival park, downtown The Dalles, for an adrenaline-fueled event. Just think—you and your crew, armed with little but your intelligence and their Gorge Hunt Adventure Bags loaded with cluesolving essentials, diving into riddles, photos, videos, painting, and more! Will

out and gave it their all. It was a very windy, chilly day, and I really admire those kids for their dedication to competing for their school when the weather is rough. The high school team attended the Jeff Agar Memorial meet in Trout Lake on Saturday. The weather was a bit milder for them. Lucky kids! In a bit of other school news, the Glenwood High School students will have their prom on Saturday, April 27, at the Elks Lodge in White Salmon. Combining with Glenwood for this prom are the students from Lyle, Wishram, and Klickitat.

Parents, don’t forget, Wednesday April 24, will be a half day for students.

your team crack the codes, conquer the challenges, and emerge victorious?

On a sad note: the family invites you to celebrate the lives of Dennis and Sondra Clark on Friday, May 10, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum in The Dalles.

Last week or so I received this message and decided to pass it along to you all intact, but I’ve lost the initial message she sent and have no idea which organization she is from and what event she was instructing me to correct. “Mildred, huge apologies. I made a mistake in the info below and it needs to be updated in the next issue...it’s the second Thursday of every month. I can’t believe I did that, but I did. Can you change that for future issues? With my thanks, Lori.” If Lori reads this, please get back in touch with me and I’ll see what I can do to straighten this mess out. Sorry folks.

Yes, I’m still reaching out to any of you who might be interested in taking over this Lyle News Column. I’m planning on staying on until a replacement is found, to help them if needed. I certainly hope they love Lyle as much as I do. If interested, contact Lou Marzeles at The Goldendale Sentinel. I’m sure he will walk you through the process. Submit

“Adopt

On Saturday, April 20, the Kiwanis Club of Goldendale, with a big assist from volunteers from First Security Bank, picked up

litter on a 2.5-mile stretch of Highway 97, collecting 55 bags of trash as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s

A Highway” program. The Kiwanis Club performs this project in the spring and fall of each year.

This Calendar of Events listing is free. Are you in need of an eye-catching display ad to highlight your event? Email us at ads@GoldendaleSentinel.com. Our friendly, helpful staff would love to help you find an advertising package that works for your needs and fits your budget! We offer online ads as well—with about 14,000 unique hits on our website a month, this is a great way to reach even more people.

WEEKLY AND MONTHLY EVENTS

Sunday

• Makers Market at The Missing Corner (ON HOLD until further notice) – 1256 Hwy 141 BZ Corner. Every third Sunday from 12 – 5 p.m. Contact themissingcorner@ gmail.com for more information (will return in April 16, 2023)

• Trout Lake Market –10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Trout Lake Grange Hall 2390 Washington 141. 1st Sunday of the month, seasonally through September.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

• Alcoholics Anonymous, Goldendale United Methodist Church, 7-8 p.m.

Monday

• Popup Café – 10 a.m. –2 p.m. lunch and support group at the Masonic Lodge on Columbus until further notice. Café is open weekly on Monday and Wednesday.

• Programs for Peaceful Living Domestic Violence Victim support group via zoom Mondays 10 a.m. 509773-6100 or 509-493-1533.

• The Coalition for Preventing Abuse in Klickitat County (CPAKC) 4 p.m. every 2nd Monday via Zoom. 509-7733776 or CPAKC on Facebook.

• Yoga Zoom meeting 6-7:30 p.m. Jill Kieffer RN Instructor call to pre-register (541) 490-3704

• Goldendale City Council meetings 6 p.m. 1103 S Columbus 1st and 3rd Monday of every month except on holidays.

• Book Discussion Group meets every third Monday at 11 a.m. – Goldendale Library

• One on One Tech Help 1st Monday of the month 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Goldendale Library, call to set up an appointment 509-773-4487

• Goldendale School Board Work Session: 2nd Monday of the month at the Primary School Library.

• Goldendale School Board Meeting: 4th Monday of the month at the High School Cafeteria. Tuesday

• Wellness Warriors 3 – 4 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the Goldendale Library on Burgen Street. Join us as our local health department nurses teach us about different wellness topics to keep ourselves safe an healthy. Topics include: Hand Hygiene, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Emotional Health, & Safety/Injury Prevention. All ages are welcome, topics will be covered at an elementary school level.

Community Events

a.m. – 12 p.m. call 3C’s Fabric to sign up 509-261-2815

• Trivia at the American Legion – every week 6:30 p.m.

• TOPS Club Inc – Taking Pounds off Sensibly 10 a.m. American Legion. Questions? Sally/ojala@gmail.com.

• Goldendale Junior Community Chamber 7 p.m. 2nd Tuesday of every month at Umpqua Bank. Call 509-2500625

• Goldendale Photo Club 2nd Tuesday of Every month 105 West Main 6 p.m. Jeanne Morgan 10-5 M-F at 509-7722717

• KC Fair Board Meetings 1st Tuesday of the month is a Workshop, 3rd Tuesday of the month is a Board Meeting.

• White Salmon Farmers Market, 4 – 7 p.m. every week seasonally at Rheingarten Park.

• Soroptimist International of Goldendale, 5:30 pm the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Dedicated to helping women and youth in our community and worldwide. All welcome. Contact Betty 509-250-3746.

• BINGO night: 3 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the High Prairie Community Center on Struck Rd. Meals and cards for purchase (discounted kids’ meals) Come meet your neighbors and enjoy some family fun!

Wednesday

• Healing Song Circle: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. every 4th Wednesday of the month, Missing Corner in BZ Corner. Song in healing for our hearts, our communities, and our world. Please come join us for this monthly community offering. We will be hosting and inviting many songwriters to share their songs too! Super excited to see you there! By donation $10-20, no one turned away. RSVP at laurarosedoctor@ gmail.com, 509-637-9425.

• Learn and Play! – 2 – 3 p.m. every 4th Wednesday of the month at the Goldendale Library. Fun and learning for you and your little ones!

• Family Fun Night at the Goldendale American Legion on Broadway St. 4th Wednesday of every month at 6:30

• Free Youth Cooking Classes: 4-6 p.m. every other Wednesday, beginning Sept. 20th, 2023 – June 2024 at The Harbor 125 W. Main St. Goldendale. Children 13+, come join us at the Youth Drop-In Center for free cooking classes. 509-281-0288 or email cassidy@wagap.org

• Snowden Community Council Meetings – 1st Wednesday of the month at 6:30 at the Cherry Lane Fire Station

• Kiwanis 7 a.m. Simcoe Café 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.

• Gorge Farmers Co-op Pickup 4 – 6 p.m. Columbia Grange 87, Lyle

• Beginning Quilt class 10

• Board of County Commissioners meeting every Tuesday Klickitat County Courthouse, 205 S Columbus Goldendale. Visit www.klickitatcounty.org/643/Board-ofCounty-Commissioners for information, agenda, and link for Zoom meeting.

• Family Storytime at 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., Goldendale Library

• Popup Café – 10 a.m. –2 p.m. lunch and support group at the Masonic Lodge on Columbus until further notice. Café is open weekly on Monday and Wednesday.

• Lyle Community Council Meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 6:30, Lyle Activity Center (308 Klickitat). Meetings also available via Zoom https:// lylewa.com/about-us.

Thursday

• Learn and Play! 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the White Salmon Library. Stories, songs, puppets, crafts and

munity Building. Call 509493-2662 ext 208 for more information.

• Narcotics Anonymous, 7 - 8 p.m. weekly at the United Methodist Church, 109 E Broadway Goldendale.

Friday

• Bingo – 2nd & 4th Friday of the month, Mt Adams Elks Lodge 124 NE Church Ave, White Salmon. Doors open at 5:30, Bingo at 6 and the Salmon Run Grill is open from 5:30 – 7:30

• Farmers Market, High Prairie: 701 Struck Road, Lyle (between Centerville & Lyle), the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. May – September. Vendors, please contact Josh Harrison, phone: (509)281-0971, email: josh7harrison@gmail.com

• Beginning Quilt Class

Free-4-All Freeride: The Spring Free-4-All at the Historic Maryhill Loops Road is a gathering of friends and world class athletes for a weekend of fun riding and racing down the legendary Maryhill Loops Road. The pack riding at a Free-4-All is legendary so come and be a part of some of the largest packs anywhere in the world. There will be some racing, including the Zealous Bearings outlaw race on Saturday. A Free-4-All is just as it sounds, anything goes. This event is open to all skill levels and any gravity powered vehicle is welcome. Please be sure you can make it to the event before you sign up, there will be a waiting list if the Freeride sells out. THERE ARE NO REFUNDS! YOU CANNOT RESELL YOUR ENTRY! The entry fee is $300, and you can register at www. maryhillratz.com.

April 27, 2024, High Prairie District 14 Firefighters dinner: doors open at 5:15 p.m., dinner is at 6 p.m. This fundraiser is catered by Beneventis of Bingen. Suggested donation of $20 for adults and $10 for ages 12 and under.

Confidently. Whether you need First Aid, CPR, and AED training that satisfies OSHA-mandated job requirements, workplace, or other regulatory requirements, or you just want to know how to keep your loved ones safe, the American Red Cross is your “go-to” source of emergency and safety training for more than a century. Cost: $85, signup at: https://www. pdxraft.com/CPR

May 3 – 5, 2024, Goldendale Home and Garden Show: Klickitat County Fairgrounds in Goldendale. Discover the ultimate fusion of inspiration and celebration at the 2024 Goldendale Home & Garden Show with a Spring Festival flare! We’re thrilled to bring it back as a three-day event, infused with exciting festival elements. Immerse yourself in captivating home and garden exhibits, explore the latest trends, and get inspired by expert speakers. Plus, indulge in a vibrant atmosphere of arts, music, and culinary delights. Join us for an unforgettable experience where creativity flourishes and dreams come to life. Questions or concerns, reach out to teja@goldendalechamber.org or call 509-773-3400 M-F 9 AM - 4 PM.

more for young children (birth through 5yrs) and their parents or caregivers presented by White Salmon Valley Community Library Staff. Free book for each participant provided by the FVRL Foundation.

• Goldendale Grange #49 Meeting – 4th Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at 228

E Darland in Goldendale

• New Parent Support Group – 10 a.m. weekly 120 W. Stuben at Mugs Café in Bingen. Join us for community support at our weekly meeting at Mugs Cafe in Bingen. We meet in the back room. Children are welcome & encouraged. There is a small play area to keep little hands busy. We’d love to see you there!

• Bingo - Goldendale American Legion Thursdays - card packets go on sale 6:30 p.m. game starts 7 p.m. Food available

• Bingo - High Prairie Community Center, 2nd Thursday of every month, doors open at 6, starts at 6:30. Questions contact Sharon 509-310-9172

• WAGAP Mobile Food Bank – 1st Thursday of the month: 9-11 a.m. Wishram school, 12–2 p.m. Dallesport Community Center, 3-5 p.m. Lyle Lions Club. 3rd Thursday of the month: 9-11 a.m. Trout Lake Baptist Church, 12-2 p.m. BZ Corner Com-

5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. call 3C’s Fabric to sign up 509-2612815

• Knitting and Stitching Circle – 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. White Salmon Community Library

• GamerNoon for teens

3 – 5 p.m. at the Goldendale Library. Come play tabletop and board games.

• Crafternoons at the Library – every 4th Friday 2:30 – 4 p.m. for ages 7-10 (all ages welcome at the Goldendale Library).

Saturday

• Lyle Lions Pancake Breakfast 1st Saturday of every month 7 a.m. -10 a.m. Omelets and ham and eggs cooked to order. Endless Pancakes. Location: Lyle Lions Community Center 5th & State Street (Hwy 14).

• Columbia Grange meets the 2nd Saturday of every month.

• Goldendale Aglow Lighthouse meets from 2 - 4 p.m. at the Senior Center 3rd Saturday of every month –, 115 E. Main St. Goldendale

• 3rd Saturday Dinners –Bavarian Deli 5 – 7 p.m. Local Beef brisket $25

• Family Storytimes 10:30

– 11:30 a.m. 1st Saturday of the month @ the Goldendale Library

COMMUNITY EVENTS

April 26 – 28, 2024, The Maryhill Ratz 2024 Spring

April 28, 2024, 15th Annual Pirate Carnival: 2 – 5 p.m. at the Klickitat School Gym. Join us for our annual Pirate Carnival, there will be costume contests, activities, games, a silent auction, food, prizes, and more! Sponsored by the Klickitat PTO in conjunction with the Secondary ASB. Questions? Call 583-3829764.

April 30 – May 28, 2024, Guiding Good Choices Series: 6 – 8 p.m. at Fathers House Fellowship, 207 S Klickitat in Goldendale. Weekly in-person classes each Thursday. A free and confidential program for parents or caregivers of youth ages 9 –14, designed around promoting healthy development and reducing risky behavior for children as they enter their teenage years. Sessions are: Social development strategy, guidelines and expectation, managing family conflict, refusal skills, strengthening bonds. To register call 509281-2330 or email cpakc.wa@ gmail.com. Childcare provided, one gas card per family per session available.

May 2 – 5, 2024, Makers Festival: Horseshoe Bend Ranch, Centerville. Join us for immersive classes, handson creative workshops, and electrifying music sets that will have you dancing all night long. Don’t miss out on your chance to escape the ordinary! Visit Escape Maker Events website for info and tickets.

May 2, 2024, Red Cross First Aid, CPR and AED Course: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at The Missing Corner, BZ Corner. Train for Moments that Matter - Safely, Effectively &

May 4, 2024, May the 4th Be With You, Star Wars Project Night: 6 – 8 p.m. at the Goldendale Grange Hall on East Darland. Build a droid, earn a Jedi certificate, drink a yoda soda ad more! More activities, snacks and drinks. Join WAGAP CPAKC for another fun filled family night! For more information call 509-281-2330.

May 4, 2024, Senior Piano Recital by Ivan Earland: 4 p.m. at the Columbus Ave Baptist Church.

May 9 – 11, 2024, Small Business Pub Talk: 5 – 7 p.m. 216 E Jewett Blvd, White Salmon, Gander & Goose. Join us for a casual round-table discussion on the solutions and resources available to help your business succeed. Hear our three panelists share their personal stories.

Sam Schauer:Gander & Goose; Tiffany Griessmueller-Meligan: Tea Lyn’s Tea Shop & Quad Construction; Dale Grinstead: Goodfellows Tonsorial Parlor. Learn about the support and tools you can access from MCEDD, SBDC, Washington State MicroEnterprise Association and your local Mt Adams Chamber of Commerce. This event is supported by a grant from WA State Dept of Commerce and a match from Mt Adams Chamber. Register with the Mt Adams Chamber at 509-493-3630.

May 17 – 19, 2024, Oregon Trail Rally: Three rally filled days at Portland International Raceway on Friday, Goldendale on Saturday and then Sunday in Dufur! The only event on the American Rally Association national schedule that has racing at a racetrack and on a hill climb road. If you like tarmac there will be even more in 2024. Come join us as a competitor or volunteer, you will have a blast!

May 21, 2024, Wellness Warrier Series: Wellness Warriors: 3 – 4 p.m. at the Goldendale Library on Burgen Street. A series for kids to learn about our bodies and different areas of wellness to live a happy, healthy life. Presented by the Klickitat County Health Dept. For children ages 6–10.

Houseless Collaborative releases 2023 annual report

Tamara Kaufman For The SenTinel

Over 1,000 people at risk of eviction did not lose their housing last year with help from community partners, according to the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative 2023 annual report shared at a recent meeting held at the Gloria Center in The Dalles.

The report tracks the community impact of the Collaborative work to reduce and end houselessness in the bi-state Mid-Columbia River Gorge region.

In 2023, member organizations of the Houseless Collaborative helped 702 Latino community members, 512 children, 76 elderly people, and 12 Native Americans avoid eviction. It also supported another 325 people to transition from houselessness into long-term, stable housing, including 90 children, 67 Latinos, 51 Native Americans, and 29 elderly community members.

A major highlight of the report was that the Yakama Nation Housing Authority completed the development of 46 new affordable housing units dedicated to tribal members in the spring of 2023.

“It was a giant step forward to provide much-

needed housing that is now known as Gorge View Estates in Wishram Heights,” said Debra Whitefoot, executive director of Nch’i Wana Housing. “Nch’i Wana Housing worked with the Yakama Nation Housing Authority to develop their waitlist to ensure the inclusion of Tribal Fisher People living in substandard conditions at in-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access sites. Being a part of the Houseless Collaborative and developing partnerships enabled Nch’i Wana Housing to do outreach and engagement with Tribal members.”

Partnership is a major theme. “The Collaborative adopted its five-year strategic plan in late 2022,” said Kelli Horvath, director of the Office of Housing Stabilization at Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC). “With over forty members supporting individuals in a range of services from housing and food stabilization to mental health support, the data is primarily supplied by MCCAC, Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP), Nch’i Wana Housing, Oregon Human Development Corporation (OHDC), Bridges to Health, and the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority.”

Shelter is the Collaborative’s first goal area. MCCAC now provides over 50 yearround transitional housing and shelter placements with the opening of The Annex, a former motel in The Dalles. This is in addition to 11 yearround emergency shelter placements operated by WAGAP.

In alignment with the Collaborative’s strategy of improving professional development opportunities for shelter and housing casework staff, WAGAP increased support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training and also sponsored nine staff members to go through conflict resolution training with the Six Rivers Dispute Resolution Center.  “Keeping people in their homes is essential to all of our housing efforts,” said Jennifer Pauletto, associate director for WAGAP.

“The Collaborative gives us a platform for partners to coordinate and amplify our messaging in support of our low-income community members throughout the Gorge.” Services, the second goal area, kept members busy in 2023. The Collaborative held its annual Housing Stabilization Summit with a session about the rapid re-hous-

ing program. MCCAC and Bridges to Health began using the coordinated referral program Connect Oregon. Volunteer attorneys offered free monthly legal clinics with the support of PCC CLEAR.

A major push to increase accessibility of services for houseless clients was made by expanding the number of Community Health Workers (CHWs). MCCAC added 12 staff to the list of those certified as CHWs to reach more people at risk of or experiencing houselessness. WAGAP CHWs now serve over 100 clients per month.  Extra emphasis was placed on Spanish language access and culturally responsive practices with Native and Latino communities.  The Lived Experience Work Group meets monthly to provide input for Collaborative partners. Last year, the group published a toolkit to help partners collect feedback and improve services and offers a conversation template to support client-led housing stabilization plans.

Housing is the third goal area. One 2023 project of note was the preservation of Rhine Village apartments in White Salmon, where 36 affordable housing units have been acquired with

plans for rehabilitation. The Wishram Heights development was celebrated as a step toward increasing the supply of units that low-income households can afford to rent. The tribal community also plans to add a community center in future development at the site.

In 2023, WAGAP secured new funding with the Community Behavioral Health Rental Assistance Program offering new opportunities for highly vulnerable community members with complex behavioral health needs to live independently.

Mid-Columbia Housing Authority secured new Housing Stability vouchers and partnered with MCCAC to prioritize these rent assistance resources for clients being served by culturally responsive partners at The Annex.

Managing data is a continued partner process. A wide variety of Oregon and Washington partners throughout the Columbia River Gorge participated in their respective Point in Time (PIT) Counts to help identify the number of houseless persons in the region.

Collecting information and sharing stories help the Collaborative educate people and highlight the need for more housing.

Advocacy, the fourth goal, engages members to help bring more funding and policies that support the Collaborative’s strategic investments. Members participated in city, county, and state-level activities to support access to services, funding, and affordable housing development. WAGAP secured funding to add a Director of Civic Engagement to focus on community building and advocacy priorities. MCCAC hosted the 1st annual Housing Heroes fundraising event to bring awareness to the work.

“It was a busy year digging in with our members to get tangible results in our effort to reduce and end houselessness,” Horvath said. “We are committed to continue building strong partnerships and invite others to join our mission.”

The next major event will be the public formal grand opening of The Gloria Center on Friday, May 31 at 11 a.m. at 2505 W. 7th Street in The Dalles. For more information about the event or to join the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative, contact Sarah Kellems by email at skellems@mccac. com.

Kroger to pay $47.5 million to Washington to combat fentanyl epidemic

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Tuesday he signed on to a pending resolution with Kroger that will bring in $47.5 million to combat the opioid epidemic in Washington state. Half of these resources will go to the state, and the other half will go to Washington city and county governments.

The resolution brings the Washington Attorney General’s Office’s total recoveries directed to opioid abatement funding to more than $1.29 billion, with multiple ongoing and active cases against other drug companies still pending. The office directed approximately half of these resources to local governments in Washington.

Terms in the court orders require these resources to be used to combat the fentanyl and opioid crisis in Washington. Ferguson filed a lawsuit in December 2022 in King County Superior Court against Kroger for illegally, recklessly, and negligently filling opioid orders without adequately investigating “red flags” of fraud or overprescribing. He filed lawsuits against two other pharmacies, Albertsons and

Rite Aid, at the same time. The resolution will resolve Ferguson’s legal claims against Kroger. “My legal team took on some of the largest corporations in the world and held them accountable for their role fueling the opioid epidemic,” Ferguson said. “We’ve won more than $1.2 billion that’s going to every community in the state to combat the opioid and fentanyl epidemic by improving treatment options, educating youth, and supporting first responders.”

Resolution process

The Kroger resolution must be approved by a sufficient number of the eligible states. Also, Washington local governments that have filed a lawsuit and those that have a population of more than 30,000 must approve the resolution before it is finalized. Pursuant to the “One Washington Memorandum of Understanding,” the 125 eligible Washington local governments will share in the proceeds if they join, as they have for every other opioid settlement.

The $47.5 million will be paid over 11 years. The first payment of $4.3 million will come within a few months of

the resolution being finalized by the litigating states and local jurisdictions. Opioid lawsuits resources fund programs to combat the opioid epidemic, educate youth, support first responders, assist tribes, and improve treatment This year the Legislature appropriated to state agencies more than $52.3 million recovered from previous resolutions with opioid companies to fund programs that will combat the opioid epidemic. The appropriations

overall included significant investments to increase access to opioid medication, assist tribal governments, support first responders, and educate youth. This brings the Legislature’s total appropriations from Ferguson’s opioid lawsuits to more than $110 million since 2023. Highlights from this year’s spending include:

BAPTIST

Columbus Avenue Baptist, S.B.C. 815 N Columbus, Goldendale, 509.773.4471; Pastor David Beseler, Sun School 9:45 , Sun Worship 11am, Sun Bible Study 6pm, Prayer Meeting Mon 6pm, Youth & Children's groups Wed 6pm; ColumbusABC.org, YouTube, FaceBook, ColumbusABC@embarqmail.com.

CATHOLIC - Holy Trinity Catholic 307 Schuster, Goldendale; Father William Byron, 509.773.4516. Sat Eve Mass 5:30pm; Sun Mass 9am & 10:30am. Eve of Holy Days 7pm; Holy Days 9am. Daily Mass Mon-Fri 9am CCD Classes Wed 2:15-3:30pm, K thru grade 6; Wed 7-8:30pm grades 7-12. Confessions every

EASTERN ORTHODOX Ss. Joachim & Anna Orthodox Mission

NW 2nd St, Goldendale, 907-317-3828; Rev John Phelps; Sat: 5:30pm Vespers; Sun:

Orthros, 9:30am Liturgy; Wed: 7pm Youth Group; Fri: 9pm Compline

GRACE BRETHREN Community Grace Brethren

1180 S Roosevelt, Goldendale. Pastor Aaron Wirick. 509.773.3388. Sun Svc 10:30am in person. Tue: Youth Group 6-8pm. Wed: AWANA 2pm GoldendaleGrace.com. Watch us on Facebook Live: Facebook.com/GoldendaleGrace "Learning - Living - Loving JESUS."

LUTHERAN

Christ the King Lutheran S Columbus & Simcoe Dr, Goldendale; Vicar Ann Adams. 509.773.5750. Worship services 10 Everyone welcome.

METHODIST - United Methodist Columbus & Broadway, Goldendale; Pastor Kendra Behn-Smith; 509.773.4461. Service times: Worship 9:00am; Adult classes 10:45am; Fall & Winter All are welcome. Call the church for regularly scheduled events.

NAZARENE - Church of the Nazarene

124 W Allyn, Goldendale; Pastor Earnie Winn and Pastor Greta Sines. 509.773.4216; Sunday worship 10:45am; Sunday School all ages 9:30am; goldendalenaz@gmail.com.

• $2,000,000 is provided to the Department of Health to administer grants to local health jurisdictions for opioid and fentanyl awareness, prevention and education campaigns.

• $4,458,000 is provided to the Department of Corrections for health care services, with $2,700,000 specifically for approved long-term injectable medication for treatment of opioid use disorder of incarcerated individuals.

• $3,000,000 is provided to establish three additional health engagement hub pilot program sites, and $1,500,000 is provided to establish high-intensity community-based teams serving people with opioid use disorder.

• $400,000 is provided to increase support for EMS and fire department opioid overdose prevention efforts.

• $2,000,000 is provided to the Health Care Authority for a tribal opioid prevention campaign.

NEW LIFE ASSEMBLY of GOD

1602 S Columbus, Goldendale; Pastor Kevin Gerchak, 509.773.4650; Sun. School 9:30am; Morning Worship Service 10:30am; Family Night on Wed. 7pm with programs for ages 3 years through adult.

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Centerville Community Church 508 Dalles Mountain Road, Centerville, WA 98613; 509-637-3068; Pastor

Father’s House Fellowship

207 S Klickitat Ave, 509.773.4719. Basic Bible Fellowship 9:30am; Worship 10:30am; Tue. 6:30pm Freedom Now Meeting. “A Gospel-Centered Church.”

COUNTY from page A1

commissioners’ announcement yesterday, and I do apologize for any confusion. The community is encouraged to participate in person or online next Tuesday, April 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. to express their opinions regarding the jail closure and listen to the testimony of citizens and commissioners on both sides of the issue. The last two meetings have had robust discussion regarding the proposed closing of the Klickitat County Jail and the video showing these dynamics is available online at the county’s website, KlickitatCounty.org.”

The Sentinel watched the video of the April 9 meeting and did not find any point at which the commissioners announced the subject of the town hall, only a brief mention that it would happen at the end of the meeting when Anderson said, “I will note for the record there will be a town hall meeting in person, on Zoom as well as in the room, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, here in the commissioners’ chamber. We will also have a meeting that day during Tuesday.”

The Sentinel asked Throop if he made the conclusion that a town hall scheduled

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used in moderation, screens can help people unwind and zone out, but when used excessively, they can have the opposite impact.

Following are comments from teachers in the Goldendale School District who have seen screen usage as a challenge in their lives as mothers and educators: “As a veteran secondgrade teacher, it is alarming the amount of screen time some of our elementary-age children have access to,” says Tammy Kayser. “Some of the effects I have noticed are lack of attention, empathy, and compassion for others, along with problems in socialemotional development. Too much exposure to violence through media can desensitize children to violence, and as a result, they might learn to accept violent behavior as a way to solve problems. There can also be a disconnect between reality and what they are watching. Some students struggle with irregular sleep patterns or lack of sleep from having excessive screen time or staying up late playing video games. We have noticed deficits in language development as well.” Tammy has been a teacher at the Goldendale Primary School for 27 years and reports drastic changes

at this time would be primarily devoted to the jail issue. “In my mind, that was inferred by circumstance,” he said, “as the town hall was announced after the massive public response at the BOCC meeting. It made sense that they would hold a town hall to discuss the matter so that it did not interfere with their regularly scheduled business. It did not appear that there was any other reason, as that was clearly the issue that has stirred up the community.”

That was borne out by Lisa Evans of White Salmon, who chairs the Klickitat County Republican Party and presented a petition to the commissioners signed by approximately 260 people. She noted the petition had been posted online and that people could not attach their signature without express consent.

The text of the petition, which she identified as nonpartisan, reads:

“We, the people of Klickitat County, demand from the county commissioners that any decision to close our jail be stopped immediately and to thoroughly evaluate all options to keep the jail open permanently; to respect the insight from the sheriff’s office and

lately regarding this issue.

As a first-grade teacher, Sandy Martin says, “There are significant deficits in language, interaction, and attention skills in children who have had excessive and continued screen time starting at a very young age. Many children are spending the majority of their time on devices, playing video games, or watching YouTube. This is creating passive tunnelvision in children and a lack of interaction with real life.

“There have been noticeable and alarming changes in children entering school that I feel are greatly due to lack of talking with children from birth,” Martin adds, “in reciprocal dialogue to promote language development and social interaction. It’s critical to have back-and-forth conversations, share facial expressions, and react to the other person—in real life, observing the world around them, asking questions, and being curious. This is what develops language and communication skills, empathy, and self-awareness in young children, not passive, oneway screen time.”

There are many activities that can replace screen time to give children the best

the jail staff; decisionmaking transparency; public comment during the process, and to reach a balanced decision made according to the full impact on public safety. This decision impacts our community, our safety, and our jobs.”

Among the many people speaking up during the public comment period April 9 was Dr. Vern Harpole of Lyle, who served as medical director of NORCOR from 2015 to 2020.

“Care of inmates in my 50 years of being a physician is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” he said. “We’re taking folks that are morally ill, physically ill, mentally ill, and drugaddicted, putting them all in one spot and then trying to get some correctional officers to sort it all out. It’s just an impossible task.

I absolutely agree with Sheriff Songer that the state and federal governments are not providing the proper resources to take care of inmates anymore.”

He suggested the situation is so difficult it needs the resources of several counties to deal with, and that “The Andy Griffith Mayberry jail is just a thing of the past. These incredibly sick folks are a super high

shot at being successful in their lives. Any activity to replace the overuse of electronics is a much better option to offer to the children of our community.

Tammy Kayser says, “Children need to be interacting with others and having conversations. They need to be exposed to academic language to help them develop vocabulary and skills necessary to interact with the world around them. Children are spending less time in active, creative play where they use their imagination, get fresh air, and exercise.”

With all the crazy things going on in our world, it is more important now than ever to be giving the youth of Goldendale the tools to become the wonderful adults of our community we know they can be. Setting boundaries on electronics is a very important issue to take into consideration, replacing that time with reading, drawing, playing outside, and similar activities. With these healthy boundaries set in place, we can expect to see a rise in our youth’s success in the classroom and improved mental health and social behavior.

Paulette George condition improving

MarzeLes

George, a woman who suffered severe physical ailments while incarcerated for nearly three months in the Klickitat County Jail, is well on the road to recovery, according to a close family member.

George’s condition deteriorated drastically in jail as she reacted to missing her medications and not leaving her bed for much of her time there. When finally brought to Klickitat Valley Health (KVH) in Goldendale, George’s body

was so covered in her own urine and feces that a police officer said she smelled “like dead, rotting flesh.” Attempts to remove her head lice led to a discovery that the skin on her neck was pulling away from her scalp. Doctors worried that she was septic. Her state was a key factor in the current discussions in the Klickitat County Board of Commissioners about closing the jail. George’s condition is now much improved. She remains in a medical facility that the family chooses

risk to themselves and to the county.”

He offered to help in any way, which did not go unnoticed by Christopher who noted that many people offered opinions, but few offered to help.

Emergency declaration

Zoller solved another mystery, following a question about why the declaration of emergency in the county due to the January snowstorm lasted into late March.

“It was a request by the school districts to keep it open so the school districts could continue to assess the damages,” she said. “If those damages reach a certain level, we can get state and federal assistance to help pay for them. And if we can get that assistance, it doesn’t come out of the county general fund or the school’s general fund.”

She said the cost to the 911 and emergency management systems had totaled tens of thousands of dollars, and county officials have a certain leeway when it comes to emergency declaration. “That’s why we left it open so long,” she said.

County precinct districts redrawn

In other business, Auditor Heather Jobe reported the

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the entire Yakama Tribal Council attended Gov. Jay Inslee’s signing of the bill into law.

She also brought in millions of dollars in capital budget projects to her district, including for some of her favorite projects such as funds for a new roof for the Senior Center in Goldendale and funding for improvement for the American Legion, the Centerville School and Grange, the Lyle Community Center, the High Prairie Fire Department, a domestic violence center

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and also discuss costs and suggestions with that board.”

Zoller concluded her comments with a reference to Songer’s diatribes against her and Anderson. “We are working diligently

Tri-Cities firm the county contracted with to redraw the county’s precinct districts in response to state changes in legislative districts had delivered the goods well before an April 29 deadline, just a week before ballots are due to be mailed out. Not only did they do a difficult job in a short time, they did so for an unheard-of price for any kind of consultant: $2,100. The shift was necessary because precincts can cross state or federal legislative districts or the borders of a reservation, and the goal was to leave each precinct with approximately 1,500 people. In order to do the boundary line shuffle, several new precincts were created, including two (31 and 32) that are in remote areas and have no inhabitants. Jobe added that the auditor’s office is required to identify each precinct by number but could add a name if desired. Because nearly every precinct border was adjusted, she said the office would be dropping the names, and only using numbers in the future.

Consent agenda

The consent agenda, as approved, contained these items:

• Notice of a public

in Goldendale, a Klickitat County animal shelter, and mental health facilities at Camp Hope for homeless individuals in Yakima.

“I have favorite sayings that mean a lot to me,” Mosbrucker says, “and that come to mind now. Always stay humble and kind. Live in the moment that you are in. Be the best version of yourself. 2025 will be the year I become my best self.

“God put my dream in my heart for a reason,” she adds, expressing gratitude for her family, friends, constituents, and

with the proper staff and management at NORCOR to fact-find and put together the best possible scenario for the situation,” she stated. “Name-calling, misinformation campaigns, and such cannot make this

hearing on Tuesday, May 7 at 1 p.m. on the proposed Franchise Agreement between Klickitat County and Carriager Solar, LLC.

• Letter of support to Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office for a proposal from White Salmon Valley Pool Metropolitan Park District.

• Agreement between the State of Washington Department of Ecology and Natural Resources to extend the time on the Switzler Reservoir SEP A Review project.

• Resolution amending county fee schedules for the Trout Lake Guler Park, effective May 1.

• Contract Amendment between Klickitat County Senior Services and Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities of SW Washington to shift the allocation of funds between Home Delivered Nutrition Services and Congregate Nutrition Services and update the minimum service levels.

Finally, it was announced that commissioners’ offices will be closed at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, and will remain closed on Thursday, May 2, and Friday, May 3 for a conference.

supporters. Mosbrucker has been a representative in the 14th Legislative District, but with the redistricting approved by a federal judge last month and upheld in a series of appeals, she is now in the 17th Legislative District. The new district’s counterintuitive bisection of Klickitat County strikes many as bizarre, with some in the Goldendale zip code area now living in the 17th District while others—just east of U.S. Highway 97, for example—remain in the 14th District.

go away. Mr. Anderson and I are doing our best to work through a very discouraging situation that our County finds itself in.”

At press time, Songer had not responded to a request to address Zoller’s comments.

not to identify at this time for the sake of privacy. For that reason, more detail on George and the circumstances surrounding her incarceration and treatment in the jail is only slowly forthcoming.

A close family member states she was “the last to find out” about George’s condition, saying no one from law enforcement or KVH reached out to advise family of her situation.

“It was upsetting and hurtful,” the family contact says. “It was heartbreaking.”

Lou

editor Paulette

E XTRA

Franz directs DNR to partner with Ukraine Molnar reaches semi nals in Presidential Scholar program

Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz Friday met with a delegation from Ukraine (led by State Specialized Forest Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” Director General Yurii Bolokhovets) to discuss best practices for sustainable forestry as well wildfi re response and mitigation strategies.

Ukrainian officials requested a meeting with Franz and DNR staff to develop and strengthen bilateral cooperation in sustainable forestry. Washington’s high standards in forest management make the agency a global leader in sustainable harvest, conservation, and preservation.

“In Washington, how we protect, manage, and fi ght for our forests is the measure of our state’s strength and values,” said Franz. “We’re eager to share best practices because forests are critical to solving the climate crisis and powering economies.

“Our forests everywhere face great threats from development to disease to, sadly, war. All of us, here in Washington and across the globe, must unite to defend our forests. That is why we are proud to stand with Ukraine and offer any

assistance we can in their struggle to defend their people and lands.”

Forests are critical to solving the climate crisis and powering economies. Unfortunately, Ukraine’s forests are in danger. The State Forest Resources Agency estimated that nearly 30% of Ukraine’s forests have suffered some kind of damage in the last three years. Russia reportedly has been actively destroying and harvesting Ukrainian forests, depleting the country’s natural resources, inflicting over $2 trillion in environmental costs, and causing longterm ecological damage— lowering groundwater level, reducing biodiversity, polluting the air, and increasing wildfi res.   Franz said she is eager to share expertise with Ukraine and learn lessons from them, adding she believes how we protect, manage, and fi ght for our forests is the measure of our state’s strength and values.

In 2017, DNR created the state’s first-ever Forest Health Strategic Plan—a 20-year, $250 million investment in treating and protecting forests through a comprehensive system of forest restoration, wildfi re suppression, and economic development.

To date the state has completed more than 600,000 acres of forest health treatments on federal, state, tribal, and private forest lands in just over six years. With continued investment, Washington is on track to complete over one million treatment acres in the fi rst 10 years of its 20-Year plan.

In addition to improving the health of our forests, Washington is also building sustainability and climate resilience by taking what’s left behind from forest recovery treatments and generating renewable agricultural products such as biochar and sustainable wood products like crosslaminated timber.

Over the past few years the agency has formed valuable partnerships with British Columbia, as well as countries such as Iceland and Finland.

“The people of Ukraine and people of Washington State stand united not only in our commitment to defend freedom and democracy, but we also want to combine efforts to safeguard our shared values protecting nature with its ecosystem for the generations yet to come,” said Honorary Consul of Ukraine, Valeriy Goloborodko.

Yakama Nation objects to Washington agency´s recommendation to approve wind farm despite serious harmful impacts to tribal resources

On April 17, the Washington State Energy Facilities Site Evaluation Council (“EFSEC”) voted to recommend that Gov. Jay Inslee approve a modified design of the Horse Heaven Hills Wind and Solar Project (“Project”). In doing so, EFSEC has recommended that Inslee approve a project with devastating impacts to the Yakama Nation’s cultural and Treatyreserved resources.

Yakama Nation Chairman Gerald Lewis expressed disappointment with the recommendation, stating: “Yakama Nation appreciates and supports the project modifications made to address wildlife impacts but remains discouraged by EFSEC’s failure to apply those same principles to cultural resources. Yakama Nation was not involved in the

Project’s siting and design decisions and was instead forced to respond through a permitting process that prejudiced our ability to engage in meaningful dialogue about responsible energy siting. Still, we have provided EFSEC with ample evidence to recommend additional project modifications to Gov. Inslee and are discouraged to see that evidence ignored by the majority of EFSEC Council members.”

The proposed project area lies within the Horse Heaven Hills, a significant location to the Yakama People that contains and is adjacent to habitat for culturally important wildlife species and Traditional Cultural Properties (“TCPs”), including traditional use sites, ceremonial sites, burial sites, legendary sites, and monumental

sites. Yakama Nation has consistently raised concerns about the Project’s unavoidable TCP impacts— impacts that have been acknowledged by EFSEC and Washington’s Department of Archeological and Historic Preservation. Nonetheless, the Project is moving forward without the meaningful design changes necessary to specifically address TCP concerns.

“Yakama Nation calls on Gov. Inslee to protect our Traditional Cultural Properties by considering additional changes to the Project design,” stated Lewis. EFSEC’s recommendation is a detrimental step towards activities that will directly, unavoidably, and negatively impact Yakama Nation’s Treaty-reserved resources and sacred sites.

Goldendale’s Lexi Molnar has been selected as a semifi nalist in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar program. She will be moving on to the next round, and the fi nalist will be announced in mid-May. Following is her acceptance letter:

“We are pleased to inform you that the preliminary selections of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars have been made, and you have been named a semifinalist. This means that you are among 625 students who have been selected from a pool of over 6,000 candidates, and your application will now move on to the next phase. “Soon, the Commission on U.S. Presidential Scholars will complete its fi nal selection of the high school seniors who will be named as the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars, and those names will be announced by Dr. Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education, in mid-May. “Regardless of the fi nal outcome of the competition, we wish to congratulate you. It is a great honor and an exceptional accomplishment to have reached the semifinalist phase in this highly selective and prestigious program. The

Commission appreciates your participation in the program and values your outstanding achievements.

“If you wish to see a list of the 2024 semifinalists, please visit our website at www.ed.gov/psp and click on ‘2024 Semifi nalists.’

“On behalf of the Commission and the U.S. Department of Education, we wish you every success in the fi nal selection phase! Most of all, thank you for the creativity, discipline, and pursuit of excellence you have shown in your various endeavors, and for the inspiration your example provides to countless other young people.”

CONTRIBUTED AMONG THE TOP SCHOLARS: Goldendale’s Lexi Molnar just received a letter from the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars program.

the Northwest Quarter and the Northeast Quarter of the Southwest quarter, Section 6, Township 5 North, Range 10 East, of the Willamette Meridian, County of Klickitat, State of Washington, The sale of the above described properties is to take place: TIME: 10:00 A.M. DATE: April 26, 2024 PLACE: Klickitat County Courthouse. The Judgment Debtor can avoid the sale by paying the judgment amount of $2,290,377.86, together with interest, costs and fees, before the sale date. For the exact amount, contact the Sheriff’s office at the address stated below. KLICKITAT COUNTY SHERIFF, 205 S Columbus, Room 108, Goldendale, WA 98620, 509-7734455. (1513, 1605, 1702)

er’s Meeting Room located at 115 W Court, Room 200, Goldendale, WA 98620 at which time any interested taxpayer may appear and be heard for or against the declaring of county property and equipment as surplus and setting a public auction for disposal.

KLICKITAT COUNTY

0.10, 50 to 25 Vineyard Road 20640, 0.00 –0.05, 50 to 25

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 07, 2024 at 1:00 PM. For considering the establishment of these maximum speed limits in the Commissioner’s Chambers in the Klickitat County Courthouse, Goldendale, Washington at which time testimony will be heard for or against the above proposed speed limit changes. Maps of proposed seed limit changes may be downloaded by going to the Klickitat County Public Works webpage http://klickitatcounty.org/501/ Public-Works.

Approved this 9th day of April, 2024.

BOARD OF COUNTY COM-

MISSIONERS

Klickitat County, Washington

Lori Zoller, Chairman

ATTEST: Alisa Grumbles, Clerk of the Board Klickitat County, Washington (1608, 1705, 1802)

INVITATION FOR BIDS

City of Goldendale

North Phase of Water Line Improvement Project 2024

Bid Date, May 15th, 2024

Estimated Cost of Base: $1,554,017

NOTICE TO BIDDERS:

Sealed bids will be received by the City of Goldendale, at City Hall, 1103 S. Columbus, Goldendale, WA 98620 until 2:00 pm, May 15th, 2024, at which time bids will be publicly opened. Bids received after this time cannot be considered. The City of Goldendale is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Small, minority- and women-owned businesses are encouraged to submit bids. All work performed on the project will be subject to prevailing state wage rates. This project is funded by a grant implemented through the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and the City of Goldendale.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK:

The project includes the following approximate major work descriptions, bid in separate schedules:

The work includes construction of approximately 5,282 feet of 8-inch waterline, 3,931 feet of 4-inch waterline, 1,810 feet of 10-inch waterline, 51 service connections and meter boxes, 8 fire hydrants, 1 waterline bridge crossing improvements, and 404 tons of hot mix asphalt along with other related work.

Bidding documents for the project are prepared by Pioneer Surveying and Engineering, Inc.

BIDDING DOCUMENTS:

Free-of-charge access to project bid documents (plans, specifications, addenda, and Bidders List) is provided to Prime Bidders, Subcontractors, and Vendors by going to www.bxwa.com and clicking on “Posted Projects”, “Public Works”, and “City of Goldendale”. This online plan room provides Bidders with fully usable online documents with the ability to: download, view, print, order full/partial plan sets from numerous reprographic sources, and a

free online digitizer/take-off tool. It is recommended that Bidders “Register” in order to receive automatic e-mail notification of future addenda and to place themselves on the “Self-Registered Bidders List”. Bidders that do not register will not be automatically notified of addenda and will need to periodically check the on-line plan room for addenda issued on this project. Contact Builders Exchange of Washington at (425) 2581303 should you require assistance with access or registration.

PRE-BID CONFERENCE:

A one-time pre-bid conference and job site review will be held at 2:00 pm May 8th, 2024 at City Hall, 1103 S. Columbus, Goldendale, Washington to discuss the project and answer any questions.

BID SECURITY: A certified or bank cashier’s check in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid amount, payable to the City of Goldendale or bid bond executed by a licensed bonding company is required with each bid.

REJECTION OF BIDS: The owner shall have the right to reject any and all bids, and in particular to reject a bid not accompanied by the required bid security or data required by the bidding documents or a bid in any way incomplete or irregular.

DATE: 4/17/2024, CITY CLERK: Sandy Wells (1609, 1706) IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR KLICKITAT COUNTY In the Matter of the Estate of MARYAL V. SCHULTZ, Deceased. Case No. 24-4-00022-20 PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS

36.55, RCW 80.32 and in accordance with Klickitat County’s Accommodation of Utilities on County Road Right-of-Way Policy the County Commissioners are to hold a public hearing prior to granting a non-exclusive franchise for the construction, maintenance and operations of wires and other appurtenances, upon, under, along and/or across Knight Road, County Road Number 25850 in Section 36, Township 5 North, Range 15 East, W.M.

A Public hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 07, 2024 at 1:00 pm in the Commissioners’ room in the Klickitat County Public Services Building, Goldendale, Washington at which time any person may appear and be heard for or against the proposed Franchise Agreement between Klickitat County and Carriger Solar, LLC.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information

The Klickitat County Public Works Dept. in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities. This material can be made available in an alternate format by emailing Klickitat County Public Works Dept. at titlevi@ klickitatcounty.org or by calling (509) 773 - 4616.

Aviso a personas con dominio limitado del idioma inglés: Si usted tiene alguna dificultad en entender el idioma inglés, puede, sin costo alguno, solicitar asistencia lingüística con respecto a esta información llamando al (509) 773-4616, o envíe un mensaje de correo electrónico a: titlevi@klickitatcounty.org

Title VI Statement

It is Klickitat County’s policy to assure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be otherwise discriminated against under any of its programs and activities. Any person who believes his/her Title VI protection has been violated, may file a complaint with Klickitat

child or teen? If so, become a mentor! Gorge Youth Mentoring, a program of The Next Door, provides children and teens with community based, one-on-one mentoring relationships with adult volunteers. Right now, 18 youth ages 6 to 21 are waiting to make a new friend. Mentors and youth plan their own activities based on their own schedules, meeting at least twice a month, for one year or more. For more information, visit www.nextdoorinc.org/gym or email gym@nextdoorinc.org

Gorge Youth Mentoring (G.Y.M.)

a program of The Next Door, is seeking a positive, adult role model for a 12-year-old girl in The Dalles, who enjoys arts and crafts, animals, and going for walks. She has been waiting to spend a couple days a month with a mentor who could get her out of the house and expose her to more outdoor activities. For more information on how to get involved with G.Y.M., please call Kateel at 541-399-0259.

805-5068.

HAVEN: Weekly counseling groups for victims of domestic/teen dating violence or sexual assault. Biweekly educational classes given in Spanish and English for domestic violence. Call Haven, 541-296-1662.

DO YOU HAVE HURTS, HABITS, HANG-UPS? Attend CELEBRATE RECOVERY, a faith-based 12 step program, every Thursday night at Hood River Alliance Church 2650 W. Montello (Off Rand Road) Dinner provided at 5:45pm and large group meeting at 6:30pm

is free and open to anyone in the community who is interested in attending.

GRIEF SUPPORT Establishing a Grief Support Group. Please call Natasha 702-755-0778

RECOVERING COUPLES

ANONYMOUS Meets 2nd & 4th Sundays at 10am. 216 Cascade St., Suite 26 Hood River

TOPS OR #942 meets at Gateway Presbyterian Church, The Dalles, Thursdays, 5:30-6:30pm.

TOPS OR #443 meets Thursday mornings, 8:30- 10 am. @ Zion Lutheran

Gorge Youth Mentoring (G.Y.M.)

a program of The Next Door, is seeking a positive, adult role model for a 7-year-old boy in The Dalles, who is outgoing, talkative, and fun. He enjoys playing basketball, riding bikes, and building things with Legos. He has been waiting to spend a couple days a month with a mentor who could expose him to more outdoor activities and help expand his reading skills. For more information on how to get involved with G.Y.M., please call Kateel at 541-399-0259. $500 or Less

com or PO Box 390, Hood River, OR. 97031. www.ColumbiaGorgeNews.com HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED $25 per hour, 2-3 hours per week. Odell area. 541-3087122. CONSERVATION

ADVERTISE TRUSTED SOURCE YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER WITH THE

Had enough of Facebook? So have more than 500 national brands that don’t want their ads placed next to hateful, divisive or fake content.

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SUPPORT NEWSPAPERS and keep your community connected

April 22 was Earth Day, but I have a question: shouldn’t every day be Earth Day? Our beautiful blue marble is special and unique, and as tenants of this one-of-a-kind planet, we should be tender caretakers. If we don’t do our job, the landlord might force us to relocate to another space in the universe. That’s a move I really do not want to make. Earth Day started in April 1970 as a way to show support for

• “Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet’s Future” by David Harry Grinspoon.

• “Rescuing the Planet: Protecting Half the Land to Heal the Earth” by Tony Hiss.

• “View from Above: An Astronaut Photographs the World” by Terry Virts.

New at the Library

FICTION

“The Inmate”

• “Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet—and Our Mission to Protect It” by Nicole Stott.

• “A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters” by Andrew H. Knoll.

Support the planet with sustainable, plant-forward favorites

(Family Features) If lending a hand to planet Earth and the environment is a goal in your household, a sustainability mindset often begins as a consumer. There are likely a few ways you can be more environmentally conscious when stocking your pantry for all your family’s favorite recipes.

Start by considering the decisions you make in the grocery store aisles that impact the world around you.

Beginning with a belief that food should have it all—convenience, taste, and quality—Success Rice is dedicated to safeguarding the environment and ensuring wellbeing through food. A commitment to becoming more sustainable, from farming to manufacturing and packaging, is at the heart of producing high-quality rice and quinoa while caring for the planet.

For example, these sweet and spicy Golden Beet and Rice Burger Sliders provide a plant-forward alternative at the dinner table. Delicious and hearty, the vegetarian sliders are perfect for occasions ranging from family game nights to outdoor entertaining with the combination of veggies, jasmine rice, and beans. Or you can opt for an earthfriendly dish with sustainability in its name: Zero-Waste Moroccan Spice Rice and Lentil Pilaf. Ready in just half an hour, it delivers a fragrant, flavorful meal without waste. It balances warm spices, basmati rice, and bursts of zesty lemon for a dynamic and colorful recipe.

Regardless of the occasion, the variety of Success Rice Boil-inBag products can help you be a good steward for the planet while serving good food to friends and family. In fact, the amount of plastic material in the BPA-free bags has been reduced by 7%. Additionally, the How2Recycle labeling system conveys clear instructions for its 100% recyclable boxes and bags, and, as part of a continued mission, more packaging options are being explored to increase recyclability. Discover more ways to do your

part for the environment, without sacrificing taste or quality, by visiting SuccessRice.com. Golden Beet and Rice Burger Sliders

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6

• 1 bag Success Jasmine Rice

• 1/2 can (7 1/2 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 tablespoon water

• 4 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) golden beets, cooked and grated

• 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled, divided

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 12 leaves Bibb lettuce

• 1 cup arugula

• 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce Prepare rice according to package directions. Cool completely. In food processor, pulse beans, egg, and water until mashed. Transfer bean mixture to large bowl. Add rice, beets, 1 1/2 ounces goat cheese, dill, salt and pepper; stir until combined. Divide mixture into six portions and shape into 1/2-inch-thick patties. In large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Cook patties in two batches, 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and heated through, adding remaining oil as necessary.

Visit The Sentinel at www.GoldendaleSentinel.com

Place two lettuce leaves

time: 20 minutes Servings: 4

• 5 cups water

• 1/3 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed

• 1 bag Success Basmati Rice

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (stalks and leaves)

• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1/4 cup almonds

• 1/4 cup preserved lemons, finely chopped

• In medium saucepan over medium heat, bring water to boil. Add lentils and cook 10-15 minutes, or until slightly soft. Submerge bag of rice in saucepan with lentils and cook 10-12 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Remove bag with fork and drain; set aside. Drain lentils and transfer back to saucepan. Cut open bag of rice and empty cooked rice into saucepan with lentils. Stir to combine. Stir in cilantro, green onions, olive oil, Moroccan spice blend, raisins, almonds, and preserved lemons. Serve.

cooler. Estefan said he would be delighted to sew a sofa cover for us. He came to look at the sofa. He borrowed a tape measure from Peter, and he wrote a lot of numbers down on a pad of paper. Then he left with Peter’s pen in his pocket.

A couple of days later, Estefan returned. He needed more measurements. And he returned Peter’s pen. At this point, the fabric had some cuts in it, but he measured some more and left. We didn’t see him for a week.

“How is the sofa cover coming?” I asked one day as he was minding the store.

“I need more measurements,” he told me in Spanish. I would have liked more details, but Estefan does not speak a word of English, and I know very few sewing terms in Spanish.

When Estefan returned, he brought two pin cushions and the cover, which now

had some stitching on it. Then he began to pull out stitches and pin pieces together. I honestly could not tell what he was doing, but there were obviously some problems. Then he was gone for a long time.

“Is the sofa cover ready?” I asked.

“It is a very big job,” he told me.

Two weeks went by, and I saw him on the street.

“How is the sofa cover?” I asked.

“Oh, good, good!”

In the meantime, we learned that Felix had no interest in scratching the sofa and, more surprisingly, he didn’t mind having his nails trimmed with the fancy clipper I had ordered while we were waiting for Estefan.

A month passed.

“How’s the sofa cover?” I asked every time I came into his store.

“It will be ready soon!”

More weeks passed, and Estefan came a couple more times. Each time, he brought the fabric and took more measurements.

“We will never see that sofa cover,” Peter predicted.

Then I got sick. One day, I felt so bad I stayed in bed, and I heard Peter talking to someone at the door. When I got up, I saw we had the sofa cover—almost two months exactly from when we ordered it. Estefan had run out of fabric for the back and sewed on some gray-and-red plaid, which showed a little. It is quirky, like the rest of the apartment, and I love it.

“You were sick!” Estefan said when I was well enough to make it back to his store. He sounded very concerned.

“I am better now,” I told him. “And the sofa cover is fabulous!”

Estefan smiled. It was worth waiting for.

There is one small creature out there that packs a really big punch and I am not just talking about its sting. This animal lives on six of the seven continents. There are no ants on Ant-arctica (see what I did there?). They were here during the time of the dinosaurs and can survive even the worst natural disaster. They are exceptionally strong, they have good social skills and are amazing architects. Ants have even been to space where they got to live on the space station. These tiny insects can even put fear into adult humans. Scientists called entomologists have completed extensive research on these rock stars of the insect world. Let’s look inside the world of ants.

Ants!

a

There are around 15,000 different kinds of ants but they all have similar characteristics. Ants are an easily recognizable insect. But did you know that even though ants have visible eyes they can’t see very well. That is where their antennae come in handy. Ants use their antennae to feel around them. They also share and gather information through the chemicals in their antenna. The insect version of a podcast. Ants also have handy dandy mandibles. Ants use their mandibles like tools. They can cut, bite, dig, carry and hunt with them. They also use their mandibles to crush their enemies. The mandibles on a trap jaw ant can close at 140 miles per hour. Good luck getting away from that if you are an enemy or food. Along with the other amazing parts of ant anatomy is how they breathe. Ants do not have lungs like humans do. Instead they have microscopic holes in their exoskeleton called spiracles. They take in oxygen through those holes.

Ants live in a social colony. That means they live and work together for survival. Each ant has a job to do within the colony and it actually affects how each one is built. So if you look inside an ant hill you can tell that there are different kinds of ants. The most important member of a colony is the queen. Her main function is to lay eggs. A queen is the biggest ant, has wings and in some species, can live 20 years. Male drones are next in line. Someone has to mate with the queen. Sad day for them, because they die after a week. It’s a good thing that ant eggs only take two weeks to hatch. Worker ants do pretty much everything else. They bring home food, protect the nest and they are the bodyguards. If you have ever been stung by an ant, it was a worker. These feisty little females are the only ones with ovipositors or stingers. Most of the time the pain is intense but short-lived. Stings from a bullet ant can cause pain that lasts up

Worker ants are not only good for the colony, but they are good for the environment. Ants are the clean-up crew. They eat decaying plants, food humans leave behind and they eat other insects like termites. They also eat other ants. The downfall to this is, other ants will also eat them. Ants provide food for other animals like birds, amphibians and some even get eaten by carnivorous plants. Another benefit to the environment is all the holes ants dig let water and oxygen get below the surface of the ground. This is called aeration. Aeration is important for getting nutrients to a plant and helping it grow. to 12 hours.

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ACROSS 4. A hard protective covering

11. To continue to exist

6. All the physical surroundings on Earth

12. A distinguishing trait

14. Visible through a microscope

16. A creature

19. The lower jaw

20. Small social insects

21. To be a designer of something

9.

Why was the baby ant confused? Because all his uncles were ants.

trap jaw ant

Softball Roundup

Goldendale Varsity Softball Hosts Cle Elum Warriors for their First League Contest Game 1

Anyone who follows sports understands the phrase, “The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat.” From year to year, week to week, or moment to moment, competitive sports is anything but predictable. Players and fans understand this roller coaster ride very well.

The 2023 Goldendale Softball team won three games, had no seniors, had several new players, and a new

coach. It was a year to learn, grow, and improve.

The 2024 Goldendale Softball Team is currently 8 and 6 and began their League Play on Saturday, April 20, at Mike Hood Memorial Field with a sweep of the Cle-Elum Warriors 27-25 and 22-3.

In game one Goldendale had a 1-run lead, 3-2 after the second inning. Cle Elum scored seven runs in the 3rd and four in the fourth, taking the lead 14-4. Goldendale put up four runs in the fourth, making the score 14-8, and was hopeful that they were on their way to a comeback

SECURE

and regaining the lead. But Cle Elum didn’t even blink, and in the fifth inning they added eight more runs to their lead. The score was now 22-8 in favor of the Warriors. This is when people who follow and/or play sports might start thinking about a split. Someone didn’t tell the Lady Timberwolves. Goldendale scored 19 runs on 13 hits, recapturing the lead 27-22 going into the sixth and final inning. Cle Elum scored three runs in their final at-bat, and Goldendale finished the inning with a double play and a strikeout. To borrow another popular phrase, “It’s ain’t over til it’s over.”

A year ago, a comeback such as this would be a miracle. This year it’s about making the next play and never giving up.

Game 2

The Goldendale Varsity Softball Team continued their powerful batting presence and beat the Cle Elum Warriors 22-3. In two innings Goldendale scored 22 runs, 13 in the first and 9 in the second. The Timberwolves offense was evident throughout the line-up, and all players put the ball in play and scored. Hitting highlights included BryLee Mulrony going four for four with 3 singles and an in-thepark home run. Claira Tun-

ing went 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs, Brook Blain had 3 singles with 5 RBIs, Addi Bomberger was 3 for 4. Goldendale Varsity Timberwolves play a doubleheader at home again this coming Saturday, April 27, at 11 a.m. against the Kittitas Coyotes. Brook Blain’s Big Day Brook Blain drove in six runs on three hits to lead the Timberwolves past the Toppenish Wildcats 17-2 on Tuesday, April 16, at home on Mike Hood Memorial Field in game one of the doubleheader. Blain tripled in the second inning scoring three, singled in the third inning scoring two, and hit

an inside-the-park home run in the fourth scoring three.  Blain’s offense was backed up by several Timberwolf hitters as Goldendale amassed 17 hits in the game. Marley Maiava and Maggie Gutierrez were 3 for 3 at bat, producing 2 RBIs. Jocelyn Fahlenkamp was 2 for 3.  Six more Timberwolves crossed the plate in the fourth inning to extend the lead and final score to 17-2. Brielle Starr doubled, scoring one run, Claira Tuning singled, scoring a run, and Maddie Mason produced an RBI to complete the game. Goldendale drew five walks and stole 14 bases.

—Rebecca Bare