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AGLOW: Goldendale Observatory Administrator Troy
Phony money mystery solved
LOU MARZELES EDITOR
A fake $100 bill brought to Holcomb’s Market last week turns out to have been movie money. That’s the term used for phony bills used in movies and for play. You can buy vast quantities of it cheaply on Amazon.
Though it looks a lot like the real thing (in movies it’s supposed to), there are always clear indicators on it that it’s fake, usually with text somewhere on the back.
In the case of the bill brought to Holcomb’s, there were Chinese characters on the back.
Still, the play money has been used frequently to at least try to pass as legal tender—and in some cases, it actually did. An elderly woman in Kentucky sold her used car to a thief who paid her with a thick wad of $100 bills (see picture at right). She took it to the bank, where she was told the money was not real, but neither was it counterfeit. Play money isn’t designed to pass as real money, so that means it doesn’t constitute counterfeiting.
It can fool a lot of people, including sometimes law enforcement. In one recent case, a citi-
LOU MARZELES EDITOR
When the autopay for the insurance of an older couple in Goldendale didn’t go through, they were confused. They consulted their bank, which informed them their account wouldn’t cover the payment. They were more confused—there should have been ample funds. They were shocked to discover all of their Social Security funds had been drained from their bank. Only then did they realize they’d fallen victim to a scam just a week earlier.
It took only one word for them to become prey.
“Hi,” the scammer said on the phone, “is this [the person’s name]?”
“Yes,” she said. That response was recorded, then used as verbal authorization for a phony transaction. Thousands of dollars vanished into a criminal black hole.
There is a lot of information on avoiding Social Security fraud, but one of the key points is: do not say “yes” to any question from any phone source you can’t
zen was advised not to hold on to a movie money bill. “If you do,” he said, “I’ll have to arrest you for being in possession of a counterfeit bill.”
Consumer advocacy groups and many law enforcement agen-
cies warn the public to be aware that movie money can show up anytime anywhere. If you come across it, check the back of the bill for wording indicating it’s not real or for foreign language characters.
positively identify and be certain of. If someone asks you if you’re so-and-so, you can decline and say you only provide such information to known sources—and since on the phone it’s often impossible to confirm the caller’s identity, that makes it easy to say you won’t give that information. Here are some tips on Social Security fraud from some law enforcement sources: Social Security phone scams involve imposters pretending
to be government employees and contacting people by phone, email, or text to steal money and personal information. They may claim there’s a problem with your Social Security number, account, or benefits, or that your identity has been stolen. They may also say you’re eligible for a payment increase or that your benefits will be terminated if you don’t verify your account. They may ask you to
RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL
Another large energy generation project is headed for the region. On July 30, Brookfield Renewable, one of the world’s largest publicly traded energy companies, announced it had filed a notice of intent (NOI) with the Oregon Department of Energy to develop a solar and battery storage facility in Sherman County.
A press release said it’s being called Speedway Solar Project for its location near the Speedway auto racing facility east of Grass Valley in Sherman County. When completed, it is expected to deliver 900 megawatts of carbon-free energy and will be one of the largest such facilities in Oregon. By comparison, The Dalles Dam is rated at 2,100 megawatts
The project features a new twist. Rather than place the solar arrays in a solid block, the layout is designed to set them in ribbons along the edges of the fields. The release explains such a design will “protect existing
agricultural and wildlife corridors, thereby allowing continued agricultural use of the land.”
It’s also located next to an existing transmission line, eliminating the need for additional transmission lines to reach the grid.
“We are pleased to deliver the NOI and take this significant step forward in developing the Speedway Project,” said John Soininen, vice president of development at Brookfield Renewable U.S. “We are grateful for the warm welcome we have received in Sherman County and look forward to building long-term relationships throughout the community.”
During construction, the company says, the project will create hundreds of family wage jobs and once operational will provide ongoing employment and expand the local tax base.
Public hearings will start this fall, with final approval expected in 2025.
More information is available at www. speedwaysolarproject.com.
Maryhill Museum of Art is looking to seasons ahead as it plans for its 2024 Gala: Splendor of the River.
The event will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 7, at the museum’s Cannon Power Plaza overlooking the Columbia River. This is the museum’s largest fundraiser of the year, and it has a profound impact on programming and visitor experience. Proceeds from the gala enable the organization to continue its free and reduced admission program as well as its monthly educational and public programming. The gala funds also will make possible much-needed updates to the Indigenous Peoples of North America galleries.
“Not only does this event make the rest of the year possible for us; it is a
wonderful way to spend an evening with people who value art and the work we’re doing here,” said Amy Behrens, Maryhill Museum of Art’s executive director. “Our supporters are priceless, and we love
bringing them together in celebration and in support of a shared goal.”
Gala attendees will enjoy dinner while participating in a paddle raise, an auction of Maryhill Splendor, an oil painting, and engage
in a raffle
Tickets to
of the
are available at www.maryhillmuseum.org/join-and-give/ fall-fundraiser.
drawing for a vintage gold ring with over 5 carats of diamonds.
Splendor
River
G OLDENDALE ’ S A TTIC
This week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture
Well, obviously this is two sheep ear-nose-andthroat doctors checking on their patients. Or not. We chose this picture for this week because it looks like it might be County
Fair related from maybe a hundred years or so ago. Okay, more likely from the ’50s or thereabouts. Who are these two? Why are they rubbing sheep chins. When was this?
Where ? Why? All we know is 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@golden-
dalesentinel.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
August 13, 1914 – 110 Years Ago
Charles Ross, proprietor of Ross Creamery got up Wednesday morning and had to hunt all over his place for his pants. The evening before, while he was peacefully slumbering, dreaming of mountains of golden butter and oceans of thick cream, some sneak thief entered his apartment and took his trousers, which were beside his bed. The party took them outside and abstracted about ten dollars in real money, took his knife, then went to the creamery, where a hasty but hearty meal on cream and strawberries was made. A hunk of butter was taken off a roll. The creamery lantern was taken.
August 8, 1944 – 80 Years Ago
Another class of skilled tank mechanics trained to keep the General Sherman and their little brothers, the light tanks, roaring into combat has graduated from the Armored School Tank Department. Graduates included Pfc. Donald Bridgefarmer, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Bridgefarmer, Goldendale.
August 12, 1954 – 70 Years Ago
Bill Overley gave Mr. Gopher a bad time about a month ago at the golf course. It seems that Bill’s fi rst “hole-in-one” came in a humorous fashion when his golf ball rolled into a gopher hole. He tried to retrieve it but in his efforts the ball only lodged further down in the hole. Bill decided the ball was lost. Three weeks later Frank Feeley noticed a golf ball in the same spot and at a closer look found that Mr. Gopher had cleaned the house and perched on a nice little mound of dirt beside the hole sat Bill’s golf ball.
August 30, 1984 – 40 Years Ago
John Witt was recently promoted by store manager Bob Berglund to the position of assistant manager of the Les Schwab Tire Center here in Goldendale. Witt is a seven-year employee of the Goldendale center. He replaces Steve Vonderau, who has been transferred by the company to the Les Schwab Center in Chehalis.
August 4, 1994 – 30 Years Ago
Klickitat Valley Bank’s Citizen of the month is Eleanor Dooley, who was secretary for Rural Fire District 7 for the past 34 years. Born and raised in Goldendale, Dooley graduated from Goldendale High School in 1931. Dooley, who is 80 years young, retired from Rural 7’s secretary position. In the beginning, she used to drive trucks and battle blazes with everyone else. She has been a fi xture at Rural 7 for the past three decades. “I was with it the time it started,” she said. “I watched it grow.” In addition to the fi re district, Dooley has been active in Goldendale Grange and Klickitat Pomona Grange over the years. She was also president of the Klickitat County Wool Growers Association and was one of the key people involved in the Klickitat County Fair.
—Richard Lefever Klickitat County Historical Society
Clem Zielinski, who has been building the Methodist Church brick by brick, has a life story that few can equal. He was born in Warsaw, Poland, in the days when it was controlled by Russia. His father, Julius Zielinski, was a member of the Royal Guard, which guarded the safety of the czar. He had seen the czar many times.
Clem lived there until he was five. “I don’t remember much, but do remember that we were always cold,” he said. “Wood was mighty hard to get. My father always said he wanted to live somewhere where he could own some timber and cut his own wood to be sure we were never out of it again.”
Come To America
The family decided to come to the New World and try their fortunes. They came through Berlin to a port in Germany, sailing aboard the Bremen, a passenger liner. “We were cold all the way across. At Ellis island, in the New York Harbor, we were detained like all emigrants to receive vaccinations and be put in the regular quarantine period. During that time my two sisters, my brother, and I all got pneumonia. The other three died, and I was in
Points to ponder:
Answer to last week´s Mystery Picture
This picture has been colorized. We only had one tentative answer to last week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture. Betty Zesiger thought it looked a bit like Lynn Hill, a former Home Economics teacher at the school. Trying to gather clues from the picture itself was not terribly helpful, though interesting. It appears there are two different types of salt on the table, Morton’s and Leslie, in addition to a Lawry’s Seasoning, strawberries, 1lb 13oz of canned tomatoes, and a bottle of wine which says Established in 1858. We’re not certain a home ec teacher would be using wine in a classroom, but those were different times.
and Ft. Sill before going overseas. He landed in Brest, France, Oct. 9, 1918. On November 9 he was on his way to the front lines, only to fi nd, upon reaching them, that the armistice had been signed. They remained in France until Feb. 14 when they returned to the states. He received his discharge in March, returning to Goldendale, after having spent some time at Camp Taylor and Ft. Knox.
Has Narrow Escapes
a hospital in Chicago for six weeks, not expected to live. I recovered alright, and we lived in Chicago for a couple of years, my dad being a mason.”
They came to Cedar Valley in 1904, during the land rush to this area. They farmed, and Clem received no schooling. At the age of 17, he entered the second grade, being allowed to skip the fi rst as he could already read and write and work with numbers. He went to Toppenish for six months to the grade school, being very courageous to enter school with the smaller youngsters.
Walks To Toppenish
At the end of the school term, he returned to Goldendale, where the family had moved, and worked with his father as a mason. When the term reopened in the fall, he walked to Toppenish to further his schooling. Taking his dog along, he made the trip in one and a half days. He was speedily pushed ahead and during the next six moths graduated from the eighth grade, taking a total of 12 months to accomplish this. With the advent of the war, Clem enlisted and spent some time at Ft. Lawton, San Francisco,
After the war he was farming and logging, doing brickwork and carpentry on the side. One time while logging, he had a narrow escape, with a log falling right next to him, barely missing him. Another close call he remembered was one time when he was going down the Klickitat grade, and his truck, heavily loaded with gravel, went haywire, killing the engine. The brakes would not work, and Zielinski found himself tearing down the steep and crooked grade at a terrific speed. He could not veer to the left or he would go over the cliff, and he dared not ram his truck into the bank as his son was sitting on that side. The two said nothing but their eyes bulged from their heads as they kept the truck on the road during that wild ride. At the bottom, two large rocks were in the path of the truck, which overturned twice. Both escaped injury. Friends estimated that their truck must have been going about 90 miles per hour down the steep grade.
Clem was married in 1920 and has three children. Bob, who is in Tampa, Florida, is in the navy, as is Ken, who is in the Pacific. Maxine is at home.
He has had his finger in practically every construction job in town. His present project is the building of the Methodist Church, which he started last March.
Don’t hire the unlucky. Take half of the resumes you receive and throw them away without reading them.
How many liberals does it take to change a lightbulb? None. They don’t want to offend the bulb for not working.
A human cannonball can’t quit before he’s fi red.
Did Styx and the Stones ever perform together?
Clem Zielinski Lived In Warsaw January 18, 1945
OpiniOn
Under outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee, the state has been greenwashing just about everything it can. What is greenwashing? It’s the act of using false or misleading claims that an action will have a positive impact on the environment.
This November, voters will have an opportunity to undo some of the greenwashing done by the Inslee Administration and state agencies. Two initiatives on the ballot are designed to restrict government agencies from continuing policies that have little-to-no environmental benefit and help curtail new ones from being enacted. Those initiatives are 2117 and 2066. Voters should already be planning to cast a “yes” vote for both in the Nov. 5 general election.
Initiative 2117 deals with the state’s so-called “Climate Commitment Act.” Specifically, the measure would repeal the law that implemented the state’s cap-and-trade program. And it would prohibit any state agencies from creating new cap-and-trade or cap-and-tax programs.
Under the current law, emissions are capped for large businesses. Businesses can then purchase “allowances” from the state for emissions above the cap. Putting it simply, the Climate Commitment Act is nothing more than a tax on business and a cash cow for government agencies trying to ban gasoline and diesel vehicles, ban natural gas services and appliances, breach dams and more.
Yes, some of the money is given back to the general public—but only to those among the poorest ratepayers in the state. This year, for example, if you’re indigent, you can get a $200 electric bill credit. That’s a paltry amount given the state last year collected $2.1 billion from the act and earmarked $1 billion more this year.
As you likely realize, most of the money is appropriated to advertise, perpetuate and encourage construction of so-called “green” projects—which rarely provide a direct benefit to Washingtonians.
That leads me to I-2066, the proposed Natural Gas Policies Measure.
Under this initiative, a “yes” vote would prohibit state and local agencies from restricting access to natural gas. Moreover, it would also ban governmental boards from discouraging the use of natural gas heat or appliances in home and building construction and require utility companies and municipal utilities to provide natural gas to ratepayers, even if other energy sources are available. The measure also prohibits the state Utilities and Transportation Commission from offering utilities incentives or requirements to scale back natural gas services, or implement policies that make natural gas too expensive for residents and businesses.
This measure made the ballot just as the new State Building Code Council made it nearly impossible as of July 1 to erect new buildings with natural gas heat and appliances. It comes after the Biden administra-
THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL
Official newspaper of Klickitat County, Washington
Established 1879 • Published every Wednesday from offices at 117 W. Main Street • Goldendale, WA 98620 • Telephone: (509) 773-3777 Emails: news@goldendalesentinel.com (News, editorial, Letters)
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Editorial:
Lou Marzeles, Editor & Publisher
Business and office staff:
Owned by Tartan Publications, Inc.
Leslie Geatches, President, Financial management, Special Section production, Ad Design Naomi James, Bookkeeping
tion attempted to use federal agencies to regulate and ban gas stoves, under the guise of public health.
Let’s be honest: neither the Climate Commitment Act nor a ban on natural gas will have an environment impact on the state, nation, or planet. Both, however, would have a deleterious effect on the cost of fuel, food, homes, and more.
Voting yes for I-2117 and I-2066 will help strip some of the governmental greenwashing away. At the same time, it will open the door for common sense business decisions to again be made in our homes and businesses.
— Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Email him at rharnack@cheneyfreepress.com.
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.
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 editor to be sure local folks are aware of how Columbia Bank is choosing to deal with its account holders.
Letters from the community
Vote for true change
I will vote the Democratic ticket, up and down the ballot. Why?
Because I know I would rather live in a world under a Democratic administration than I would under a Trump GOP Administration.
I say this for many reasons, but right now I’ll focus on just one: the Supreme Court. Since the onset of the Roberts Supreme Court in 2005, we have seen the ideological bent of the court move further and further to the right, with this court regularly overturning established, 50- to 100-year precedents, laying the groundwork for power further concentrated in the hands of the fewer and wealthiest and with new opportunities for corruption and authoritarianism to flourish. And while change is often good, with several key rulings, especially those remanding jurisdiction back to the states and the lower federal courts, the Court has only added to the growing divisiveness, litigiousness, inequality, and unrest in our country.
Let me offer examples:
Ken McKune Goldendale C
a second Trump presidency.
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.”
• The Chevron Decision, which struck down a 40-year precedent and cut back the power of federal agencies to interpret the laws they administer, ruling that courts should rely on their own interpretation of ambiguous laws. As a result, executive branch agencies will have more difficulty regulating the environment, public health, workplace safety, and other issues that affect the health, safety, and well-being of the American people. And the courts will be flooded with lawsuits, further holding up the government’s work on behalf of the American people.
“For No Reason At All” I particularly found offensive.
• The Dobbs Decision of 2022, which overturned the Roe v. Wade Decision, a precedent of 50 years. The Court’s 1973 Roe Decision held that the abortion right is part of a right to privacy that springs from the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments. The Roberts Supreme Court, however, decided that “the right to abortion is not deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and tradition” and overturned Roe. Since the decision, a patchwork of extremely restrictive abortion laws have sprung up across the nation, with women and girls suffering unwanted, imposed, and life-threatening pregnancies; IVF becoming another target of restrictive legislation—with contraception potentially up next; and the Trump GOP speaking openly of a nationwide abortion ban to be imposed in
My concern is that a comment as broad as this opens the door for abuse. I have had no difficulties with our local branch and am sorry that the headquarters has decided to take such a hard line. It ap-pears I will need to look for a bank that does not behave in this manner.
Ken Margraf Goldendale
Each of these Supreme Court decisions has spawned a cascade of consequences over the last 20 years. Perhaps the greatest outcome of these Supreme Court rulings has been to disunite our States of America, with a patchwork of inequitable state laws now in place that erode the rights of our citizens.
Democrats want to use the White House and a necessary congressional majority to rectify the impacts of some of these Supreme Court decisions with laws that will apply across our nation, strengthening our democracy, and supporting most of our citizens.
When it comes to the Supreme Court, this next election is consequential; we are likely to see two conservative justices retire. I believe that if we want to preserve and further restore our democracy, we must vote in Democrats, up and down the ballot in November 2024.
Karin Tanaka White Salmon
‘Weird’ doesn’t cover it
The Democrats have a new buzzword: “Weird.” It’s used to describe what Trump, Vance, or sycophants in Congress say or do or to describe
Guidelines for Letters
their plans, if elected. It’s gone viral on social media; even the major news networks are repeating it. But “weird”, although amusing, doesn’t really go far enough. MAGA Republicans can’t offer a vision for a better future America, because they want to move America backwards 100 years. MAGA sells fear, hate, bitterness, division, lies, control, especially of women and non-white men, weakening the rule of law under the U.S. Constitution, replacing our democracy with a dictatorship, and even, according to Trump, terminating the U.S. Constitution (https://n.pr/3M0v28k). Project 2025 is their 900-page plan to make this happen. Trump wants to pretend that he knows nothing about Project 2025. This is yet another of Trump’s lies. It’s public record that Trump has worked with Heritage Foundation for years to develop this insane plan.
Trump, Vance, their sycophants in Congress, a few right-wing governors, and the Republican Party nominated a criminal as the Republican POTUS nominee. And the convention attendees went wild with enthusiastic support. They were oblivious to Trump’s fraud and sexual abuse convictions. He’s a pathological liar, grifter, fraud, business failure, narcissist, and can’t express a meaningful thought, unless it’s demeaning, hateful, and disparaging—and this lowlife is what the MAGA crowd wants to be POTUS? Yes, that really is weird! But this one word doesn’t really capture all of the above.
Regardless, there are still people who believe Trump’s lies, support MAGA, and intend to vote against their own best interests.
Stop Project 2025. Save our freedom. Vote for Harris-Walz and Democrats, state and federal, up and down ballot.
Letters to the editor should be original and comment on an issue. Deadline for letters is noon Monday for the same week’s paper.
Requests to keep letters exactly as they were written when published cannot be honored. All letters are subject to editing for grammar, spelling, clarity, and/or brevity. 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.)
Steve Heitmann White Salmon
Glenwood has a new little cowboy. Travis and Kelly Miller welcomed little Luke Jeffrey into their family on Saturday, August 10. The bright-eyed, handsome little cowboy weighed eight pounds and joins big sisters Natalie and Haylee on the family ranch in Glenwood. Happy grandparents are Laurie O’Leary, Chris and Harry Miller, and Jeff and Sarah Link; and greatgrandparents are Betty and Jim Link. Oh yes, that little boy is going to have so many grandmas to love him. Natalie and Haylee told me they are going to be the best big sisters ever and love and take care of Luke, teach him how to be a rancher, and help their mama and daddy with “everything.”
I’ll have to remind them of that as they get older and Luke is getting into their things, as all little brothers do.
Welcome, Luke Jeffrey Miller.
This time of year is very special and memorable to our community because it’s the week of the Klickitat County Fair. We have a very large number of Glenwood kids showing various livestock and entering projects in sewing, cooking, art, and so much more. But it’s not just the kids who look forward to this week. Many adults in Glenwood also enter photography, art, quilts, baking, and other departments and participate in the county games. Those events include western games, team and family penning, ranch sorting, and team branding. It’s an exciting time for our community and our county.
I’m proud of all the adults in our community who have stepped up year after year to volunteer and help
H OMETOWN
make our county fair an awesome experience for all. Debbie Woodward is the Fair Board president, and Laurie O’Leary is one of the department superintendents. Mike Woodward has served as the beef 4-H leader for many years, and Bo Arnold is one of the leaders of the Mt. Adams Community 4-H Club. Travis and Kelly Miller make calls and gather donations to support our kids in the Market Stock Sale each year. Chris Miller is a past president and still remains actively involved, as do Margaret Throop and Kay Hoodenpyl. I’m sure I’m leaving some names out, but it makes me proud to see those volunteers working diligently each year, all year long, to make this one week a great one.
I don’t think it’s too late to donate to the Klickitat County Fair Market Stock Sale fund. All our 4-H kids who work hard to raise and show their animals at the fair need our help to ensure every animal is purchased at the market stock sale on Saturday of the fair. Contact someone at the fair office this week to get more info. The sale is Saturday afternoon, so get your donations in as soon as possible, and please know your support means so much to the kids who participate. And the pace continues to pick up around here. Immediately after the Fair, on Monday, August 19, our Klickwood volleyball team, joined by some players from Trout Lake, begins practicing for the 2024 season, with Jaecee Hoctor as coach. I’m looking forward to watching our Glenwood, Klickitat, and Trout Lake girls in action this season. You can
check with the school office or the school web site to fi nd the schedule. Several Glenwood kids and some parents participated in the August West Klickitat Posse Saddle Club horse playday at the posse grounds in White Salmon last Sunday. They changed the format so the tiny lead liners get to do all their events fi rst, then the parents can take their tired but happy little kids home much earlier than they used to finish. When the tiny kids are done, the rest of the participants begin their events. The shorter time between events is very welcome to all participants.
Those participating from Glenwood were Pacen Stephens, Branch and Briscoe Monroe, and Kasper and Kassidy Kreps in the lead line division. Dads Johnathan Monroe, John Stephens, and Kevin Kreps led the horses for their little cowboys and cowgirls. Jentry and Jocee Hoctor competed in the junior and senior divisions, respectively, followed by Jaecee Hoctor and Aubrey Stephens in the adult division. All four of those cowgirls had great times in all their events. Way to go, ladies. It’s good to see so many from our community being involved in that great tradition of summer playdays. The smoke from the Williams Mine Fire has been settling over our valley somewhat, then clears, then returns. I hope everyone is coping well when it’s smoky. Our thoughts are with local residents who have been dispatched to larger fi res in Oregon. We thank them and our Glenwood Fire Department members who have been called out a lot lately.
received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Whitman and graduated summa cum laude.
Washington has America’s third most complained about internet, with 385 FCC internet complaints per 100,000 broadband serviced locations, 37% above the national average.
Billing complaints are Washington’s most common
This type makes up 39% of all West Virginian internet complaints and is the second-highest percentage of availability complaints nationwide.
Georgia has America’s second worst internet for complaints, with an aver-
343 internet complaints per 100,000 BSLs, Florida 336, California 335, and Nevada 326.
North Dakota complains the least about the internet, with only 60 internet complaints per 100,000 BSLs, 79% below the national aver-
type of internet complaint, with 33% of all internet complaints.
West Virginia is fi rst for complaint rate, with 587 internet complaints per 100,000 BSLs, and North Dakota is last, with 60 per 100,000 BSLs.
Agency directory DesignRush analyzed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) data from 2014 to 2024 on internet complaints and homes and businesses serviced by broadband connections (known as BSLs or Broadband Serviced Locations) to see which state complains most about its internet on average.
West Virginia’s internet causes the most complaints compared to its number of broadband-connected homes and businesses. The FCC received 587 internet complaints per 100,000 BSLs in the Mountain State, more than twice the national average of 281. Since 2014, the most common type of internet complaint has been related to availability.
age of 387 FCC internet complaints per 100,000 BSLs, 38% above the national average. Georgia’s most common type of internet complaint was related to billing, at a rate of 34%.
Billing complaints are also America’s most common type of internet complaint with the FCC, with 32% or 147,131 billing complaints out of 458,133 overall.
Oregon is the fourth worst for the average number of internet complaints, with 370 complaints for every 100,000 BSLs. Billing caused the most internet complaints, comprising 37% of all internet complaints, America’s second-highest percentage of billing complaints.
Arizona is fifth among the worst states for internet complaints, with 354 per 100,000 BSLs, while Colorado is sixth, with 351.
Louisiana, Florida, California, and Nevada complete the top 10 worst for internet complaints per 100,000 BSLs. Louisiana recorded
age of 281. Billing was North Dakota’s most common complaint type, with 29%.
Gianluca Ferruggia, General Manager at DesignRush, said:
“The internet is a necessity for many people’s lives and jobs. And some people can feel lost if they can’t spend their free time online.
“With how frustrating it can be being without internet, or even with a poorquality connection, we wanted to see which states had had the most complaints due to the quality of their internet connections.
We found West Virginia had the worst internet on average by the average number of complaints, and North Dakota had the best.
“We also found that billing complaints were the most common type of complaints for 29 states and America overall, availability second, with 20 states, and Rhode Island the only state with privacy complaints the most common.”
White Salmon native Luke Samuels participated in Commencement proceedings at Whitman
College in Walla Walla, Washington, on Sunday, May 19. A graduate of Columbia High School, Samuels
Deborah Lawain Johnson, June 26 1956 – June 28 2024, Kennewick, Washington.
On June 28 our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend was called home to the Lord. She was born in Eugene, Oregon, but lived most of her life between Goldendale and Kennewick.
She is survived by her son Paul Verellen; daughter Crystal Verellen; grandsons Scooter and Luis; granddaughter Savannah; her sister Cathy Evans of Goldendale; Mike Evans of Port Angeles, Washington; and Bonnie White of White Salmon, Washington.
Deborah spent much of her working life as a waitress and cook at various restaurants around Washington, Oregon, and even for a small stint in Alaska.
Deborah enjoyed spending time in the outdoors in her garden or her mother’s garden in Goldendale. She was a lover of all animals, but her dog Tucker held a special place in her heart.
Deborah loved adventure, and you could always find her enjoying a good bingo game or playing some slots when she felt like getting away. She enjoyed going on road trips to the beach and to visit family and friends that lived out of town. Her favorite road trips were always when she went back east with Grandma Evans and visit all our family.
Deborah’s funeral arrangements are handled by River of Life Church, 2023 Pipeline Road, Goldendale.
KATHARINA LARSON PARAMEDIC & SUZANNE GILMER
EMT-IV T ECHNICIAN
Part 7
What does it cost to replace an ambulance? Considering the fact that each ambulance costs upwards of $389,000 each, it’s beneficial to ensure that taxpayers get the most out of every vehicle from the day it is purchased to the day it no longer runs. While there aren’t any vehicles that last forever, prolonging the life of an ambulance is key to getting the most for this large expense. The “useful life” of an ambulance is typically between 200,000 and 250,000 miles, which equates to 6 to 10 years in time. Routine maintenance becomes very important when you are talking about extending the life of this important purchase.
Your Klickitat County ambulance service has three primary ambulances, one on-call ambulance and two back-up ambulances for a total of six ambulances. Two new ambulances have been ordered, to be delivered near the end of this year. When one ambulance comes close to the end of its useful life as a primary resource with KCEMS1, the replacement process starts. We then use it as a secondary or back up ambulance. The next step
of this process is passing on the older ambulance with higher mileage to any of the 15 fi re departments in our EMS district. This is one way your tax dollars are utilized for as long as possible. The fi re department recipients then help with emergency response and provide a volunteer service helping their community with additional emergency medical support. Each of the departments that receive an ambulance have EMTs that are certified to provide BLS or Basic Life Support services. Sometimes that is providing medical support care prior to KCEMS1 arriving, or in critical situations transporting the patient to meet the KCEMS1 ambulance where they will then receive more advanced care.
So, let’s break down the different costs involved in purchasing a new ambulance. Our service area necessitates the use of 4-wheel drive ambulances. The base cost of one of these ambulances is $260,000 just for the chassis and the box mounted onto the back. The box is outfitted with a small refrigerator for temperature sensitive medications; a small heating pad to keep IV fluids and blankets warm; a locking compartment for narcotics; built in suction; and
FRAUD from page A1 such as your Social Security number, bank direct deposit information, or other financial details. They may also ask you to pay a fi ne or debt using gift cards, wire transfers, or cash. Here are some tips to protect yourself from Social Security phone scams:
• Hang up: If you receive a questionable call, hang up immediately.
BAPTIST
Columbus Avenue Baptist, S.B.C. 815 N Columbus, Goldendale, 509.773.4471; Pastor David Beseler, Sun School 9:45am, 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 other Saturday noon -1pm
EASTERN ORTHODOX
Ss. Joachim & Anna Orthodox Mission
301 NW 2nd St, Goldendale, 907-317-3828; Rev John Phelps; Sat: 5:30pm Vespers; Sun: 8:15am Orthros, 9:30am Liturgy; Wed: 7pm Youth Group; Fri: 9pm Compline
special compartments to house ventilators, oxygen tanks, trauma and medical supplies, rescue kits and other tools. In addition to all of this, we then have to add radios and communications equipment at a cost of approximately $10,000. A patient gurney for $30,000 must be added and a power load system for that gurney at a cost of $25,000. Other large item expenses are the patient monitor, capable of multiple lifesaving functions (currently a LifePak 15) at a cost of $30,000, and a transport ventilator at approximately $14,000.
Other items that are on our ambulances such as a stair chair, portable suction unit, hard case medical kit, backpack trauma kit, back boards, scoop stretcher, traction devices, extrication devices and other medical and trauma supplies and tools at an approximate cost of $ 20,000. With all of these additional costs, it comes to an approximate cost of $389,000 to place a new ambulance in service.
As you can see, providing emergency services to our communities is costly.
Safety Tip of the Month: How to yield to an emergency vehicle safely. When an ambulance or other emergency vehicle comes upon you while driving, most people will slow down and pull to the right, but
• Don’t provide information: Never give out your Social Security number, bank account number, or credit card number to anyone who contacts you.
• Don’t return calls: Don’t return calls from unknown numbers.
most forget to stop to allow the emergency vehicle to pass safely. The rule according to the Washington State driver’s manual specifically says, “You must yield the right-of-way to a police vehicle, fi re engine, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle using a siren, air horn, or a red or blue flashing light. Pull over to the right edge of the road, or as near to the right as possible, and stop when you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching from any direction. If you are in an intersection, drive through the intersection before you pull over. If the light is red, stay where you are. Follow any instructions given over the emergency vehicle’s loudspeaker.” Oregon State laws are very similarly worded.
KCEMS1 Fun Fact of the Month: When our ambulances are needing routine and sometimes emergency maintenance, we utilize the Transportation Department of the White Salmon Valley School District, thus keeping our tax dollars in our own county. Additionally, two of the Transportation Department employees are or have been EMTs in our county.
KCEMS1 Statistic of the Month: In the month of May, KCEMS1 ambulances were driven a total of 9,830 total miles.
• Report the call: Report the call to the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov. You can also call the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
• Call the SSA: If you’re worried about what the caller says, you can call the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 to confi rm what they’re saying. You can also call the number provided on the official Social Security Administration website. No
Church Directory
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 10am Everyone welcome.
METHODIST - United Methodist Columbus & Broadway, Goldendale; Pastor Kendra Behn-Smith; 509.773.4461. Service times: Worship 9:30am; 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.
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.
RIVER of LIFE CHURCH of GOD 2023 Pipeline Rd, Goldendale; Pastors Rod & Cathy Smith, 509-250-0222, Sunday Worship 10:30 ; Wednesday Bible Study 7pm RiverofLife222.org
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST 1/2 mile east on Bickleton Hwy. Sabbath School Sat. 9:30am; Worship Service 11am; Pastor Michael Smith; 509.773.4381
NON-DENOMINATIONAL
Centerville Community Church 508 Dalles Mountain Road, Centerville, WA 98613; 509-637-3068; Pastor Patti McKern; pastorpatti53@gmail.com; Sunday Worship Celebration 10 "Find refreshment for your soul and friends for your journey."
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.”
George W. Gowin died May 12, 2024.
George W. Gowin
E xtra
Williams Mine Fire continues to blaze
The Williams Mine Fire began Monday, August 5, and more than a week later it remains at 0% containment. It’s reached almost 11,000 acres in size and caused Level 1 and 2 evacuation notices for much of the area around Trout Lake.
Here is the update provided yesterday by the fire Incident Command:
LOCATION: 3.5 miles northeast of Trout Lake
SIZE: 10,968 acres
CONTAINMENT: 0%.
TOTAL PERSONNEL:
276. KEY MESSAGES:
Scooper planes continue to dip out of Swift Reservoir and the Columbia River between Memaloose Island
and Lyle, Washington. Members of the public should be aware that scooper planes could approach and dip out of these water sources at any time as weather conditions allow for aviation operations. Firefighters have established southern perimeter control lines that at this time have stopped southerly fire progression.
CURRENT STATUS: Monday, a new start on the northwest edge of the fire was detected. Local ranger district initial attack resources worked with NW-13 to access the incident. The ¼ acre area is fully lined and contained. On the southeast edge of
the Williams Mine fire perimeter, crews continue to work on containing spot fires around and past Snipes Mountain to the east. An egress route for the safety of engaged resources has been established on the 312 road. Crews have successfully anchored into the 840 road where dozers are tying in control lines, and hand crews continue to work along the extent of the road systems prepping indirect lines in coordination with the heavy equipment operations. Work resumed on the 8031 road and crews have established control lines along the 731 road that tie into historic dozer lines from the 2012
Creek Fire. The structure protection group continues to work around the Trout Lake community in conjunction with the Glacier Spring Water Group. Triage efforts and assessments will continue around private properties until evacuation levels can be safely rescinded.
WEATHER/FIRE
BEHAVIOR:
Stronger westerly winds arrived in the area Monday, and relative humidity values did rise above 60% below the 4,000 feet elevation band on the fire. Active burning was observed yesterday but atmospheric conditions were more favorable than previous days for
suppression efforts. Sunny skies and wind will remain through Tuesday, with winds weakening and turning northwesterly on Wednesday. Instability will begin to increase on Thursday and through the weekend, resulting in a continuation of potentially active fire behavior.
CLOSURES: Washington DNR managed lands near Trout Lake and Glenwood are closed to entry due to the Williams Mine fire.
For more information, please see www.dnr. wa.gov/ahtanum. The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Tract D Recreation Area is closed, please
see
information.
for
& 3 evacuations are in effect for the community of Trout Lake. An evacuation center is located at 1455 NW Bruin County Road, White Salmon, Washington. Evacuations are coordinated through the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office and the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office. The FS-23 and FS-25 roads are closed, see the Williams Mine Area and Road Closure for more details. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is closed from the PCT’s intersection with FS 23 to Potato Hill. The closure spans the entire Mt. Adams Wilderness.
Multiple wildfires in Pacific Northwest likely to burn until fall rains arrive
Fire Managers in the Pacific Northwest predict that many wildfires currently burning in Washington and Oregon, and potentially new ones, will persist until the region experiences significant rain or snow this fall.
Firefighters are actively battling these fires. With widespread lightning expected this month, fire managers will be adopting a strategic approach to integrate risk management, ecosystem resilience, and community involvement on longduration fires before typical east wind events potentially arrive around the beginning of fall.
“Our planners are taking a realistic look at current wildfires, expected new fires, and the resources we have to
help us safeguard human lives and property while enhancing our ability to respond to wildfires in high-risk areas,” said Jacque Buchanan, Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service.
Among other tactics, firefighters working longduration wildfires will focus on identifying and preparing a network of primary and contingency containment lines to help stop fires as they approach critical areas like communities, powerlines, water supply systems, and natural and cultural resources.
“Firefighting is inherently risky. Our role as fire managers is to develop strategies that maximize success while minimizing the
risk of injury or death to emergency responders,” said Kelly Kane, Acting Fire, Fuels and Aviation Director for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska Regions. “There is no structure that is worth the life of the sons, daughters, parents, siblings and friends that make up our wildland firefighting workforce.”
Long-duration fires are typical in timberdominated forests, such as those found in Oregon and Washington, particularly along and west of the Cascades. These areas provide ample fuel that can sustain fires for extended periods and hold heat deep within the interior of a wildfire until conditions either escalate or moderate fire activity.
The steep, remote
locations also make it difficult for firefighters to access wildfires on National Forest lands and present significant hazards, including rolling rocks and logs that can cause injuries. Extracting injured firefighters from these areas is also challenging and increases the risk of complications. Despite these challenges, suppression efforts to protect communities and critical areas will continue.
“Communities will likely face prolonged smoke and other impacts from these fires,” said Kane. “Large and long-duration fires vary in intensity and will continue to produce smoke as they move with wind and terrain until extinguished by significant rain or snow.”
Helpful tips from our partners on what you can do to prepare:
• Create Defensible Space: Clear vegetation and debris around your home to create a buffer zone that can help slow the spread of fire.
• Prepare an Emergency Kit: Include essentials such as water, food, medications, important documents, and personal items.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest fire information and evacuation orders from local authorities.
• Install Smoke Alarms: Ensure your home has working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Have an Evacuation Plan: Plan and practice
multiple evacuation routes with your family.
• Protect Your Air Quality: Use air purifiers and keep windows closed to reduce smoke exposure indoors.
Information on preparing for and staying safe from wildfire smoke are available at SmokeReady Toolbox for Wildfires | US EPA (www. epa.gov/air-research/ smoke-ready-toolboxwildfires). Support firefighters engaged in this challenging fire season by respecting emergency closures and adhering to fire restrictions. Do your part to prevent humancaused wildfires. Learn more at: smokeybear.com/ en/prevention-how-tos.
Cascade
Yakama Tract D Road Closure
more
Level 2
CLOUDS AND SMOKE: Left, smoke from the Williams Mine Fire rises as a huge cloud August 6. Right, smoke from the fire filled the air in Goldendale.
Check It Out
Jan Johnston, Collection Manager
Fort Vancouver Regional Library District
You can email Jan at readingforfun@fvrl.org
(Family Features) How you start your morning can impact the rest of your day. If you’re looking to incorporate healthier choices into your morning routine, try a concept known as “habit stacking.” Building tiny, healthier habits into routines you already have, like enjoying a morning beverage or breakfast before you check your email instead of jumping right into the day’s tasks, can make it easier to stick to a new habit when it’s built into an existing routine. If you already enjoy the routine of breakfast to start the day, consider swapping sugary drinks for beverages without added sugars like unsweetened green or black tea. When incorporated as part of an overall healthy diet, unsweetened tea can help support heart health.
If you need help getting started, Lipton, a proud national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Life is Why campaign, created this easy-to-make, better-for-you tea recipe. For a little morning refreshment, simple Sparkling Green Tea Cranberry Spritzers offer a solution with 0 grams of added sugars. Choosing beverages with no added sugars can contribute to a healthy heart, according to the American Heart Association, making these recipes perfect for daily habit stacking. Water is needed to keep your body running at its best, and because unsweetened tea is 99.5% water, it provides a delicious way to help hydrate.
Discover more ways to improve daily routines at Heart.org/ eatsmart.
Sparkling Green Tea Cranberry Spritzers Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
also included a cookbook for picnic fare, an ode to the razor clam, and the fascinating history and science of sand. How often do you get to read about clams and sand? They go together like sh and chips.
• “Beaches” by Gray Malin.
• “How to Beach: The Professional Beachgoer’s Guidebook” by Tim Rayborn.
• “Max’s Picnic Book: An Ode to the Art of Eating Outdoors” by Max Halley and Benjamin Benton.
• “Northwest Know-How: Beaches” written by Rena Priest, illustrated by Jake Stoumbos.
• “Razor Clams: Buried Treasure of the Paci c Northwest” by David Berger.
• “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization” by Vince Beiser. New at the Library
FICTION
“My Parents’ Marriage” by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond.
“One Big Happy Family” by Jamie Day.
“The Wedding People” by Alison Espach.
NONFICTION
“Complete Starter Guide to Bonsai: Growing from Seed or Seedling – Wiring, Pruning, Care, and Display” by David Squire.
“Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida” by Mikita Brottman.
“This is Why You Dream: What Your Sleeping Brain Reveals About Your Waking Life” by Rahul Jandial. CHILDREN
“Dream Submarine” written by Charlotte Gunnufson, illustrated by Cleonique Hilsaca.
“A Rainforest Story: The Animals of the Amazon” written by Jane Burnard, illustrated by Kendra Binney.
“Welcome to the Woofmore” written by Donna Gephart and Lori Haskins Houran, illustrated by Josh Cleland. This is just a small sampling of the many new titles added each week
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving) • 4 cups water • 4 single-serving green tea bags • 1 cup 100% cranberry juice or 100% cranberry-pomegranate juice
• 2 cups ice cubes • 1/2 cup seltzer (flavored or plain) or low-sodium club soda, chilled
• 4 orange slices or lime wedges (optional) In small saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Stir
in cranberry juice. Refrigerate 2 hours, or until chilled. At serving time, put ice cubes in four glasses. Pour tea mixture into glasses. Top each serving with seltzer. Garnish with orange slices. Tip: To create cranberryflavored ice cubes, fill ice cube tray with 100% cranberry juice and freeze.
Nutritional information per serving: 32 calories: 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 4 mg sodium; 8 mg carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 8 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 1 g protein.
I have been blessed with many cousins.
My two cousins closest in age were both boys, Brian and Dane. We went camping and hiking together and stayed in the cabin up north. We all remember the day we made tea from red sumac berries, and—after we’d drunk about a gallon each—my Uncle Mike told us, “You know that stuff is a laxative, don’t you?” (For the record, it is not.)
We are still close, although I marvel at how similar we seemed when we were young, and how serious and reliable they now seem compared to me.
My mother had 10 siblings, and she was the third from the youngest, so most of my cousins are older than me. I remember my older cousins listening to the Beatles behind closed bedroom doors. I stood in the hallway and listened to the music seeping out from under the door and knew I could never be that cool.
I remember my cousin, Jill, ironing her Gunne Sax dress on grandma’s ironing board. Jill was beautiful, and she dyed her hair black. She had a marvelous loud laugh and was the only person I knew with long fingernails. I felt lucky to be around her. Then, just to make the whole thing more amazing, Jill’s handsome boyfriend (who was a musician, naturally!) would drive up to the farmhouse in his VW Bug. I knew my older cousins were all smarter and funnier and much more sophisticated than I could ever be.
I still feel that way.
I just spent a long weekend up in rural Ontario with a number of my first cousins and a few of their children thrown in for good measure. It was a wonderful time, and I was reminded again of how blessed I am with cousins.
Most of the time was spent just sitting
and admiring the beautiful scenery and telling stories—lots and lots of stories. And I was amazed how few of these stories I remembered.
I didn’t know what my uncles did for a living or who my aunts dated when they were young. I didn’t know how late it was when everyone in my family finally got indoor plumbing or how early my aunts were in studying things in college that women at the time rarely did.
I remembered the conservative pastor’s wife who changed her name from Alice to Twyla when she discovered her birth mother. But I had no idea, after she became a widow, that she took to making corn wine or that she broke her arm when she fell off a table at the VFW.
I knew about grandpa’s once-a-year fishing trip with his brother, Evald, but I didn’t know where they stayed or how they drove to the Mille Lacs Reservation in northern Minnesota to buy the fish they claimed to catch. I didn’t remember much about my great-aunts and great-uncles and, honestly, I still don’t. But I got a glimpse because of my cousins.
One of my cousins was recently diagnosed with ALS and died. His sisters came to this cousins’ reunion. It was a long trip for all of them. But I’m sure they felt— more acutely than I—how short this time is that we have with family, how precious the opportunities are to remember and share.
“She fell off the table?” one of my cousins said in disbelief. “What was Twyla doing on the table at the VFW?”
Nobody knew. But we all laughed until tears ran down our faces. And I now have something new to remember. To see photos,check out CarrieClassonAuthor on Facebook or visit CarrieClasson.com.
Currency is a word you may not have heard, and if you did hear it did you understand what it meant? Currency is issued by governments to exchange for goods and services. In other words, currency is money. We exchange money for things we want and need. Some of us have heard the phrase, “Money doesn’t grow on trees!” but where does it come from? Did it always look the way it does now? Modern society relies on money in every aspect of our lives. Not all countries have the same currency and not all currencies are worth the same amount of money. That’s a little confusing isn’t it?
MONEY (CURRENCY•DOUGH•MOOLAH•BREAD)
Before money came along there was something called bartering. Bartering is when you trade one thing for another. You are still giving something to get something back just like spending money at the store. A good example of this is what if you are sick and need to see a doctor but there is no money to pay for the doctor. At one time doctors traded for things they might need. The doctor might need food, or work done on his house. He would trade the patient to get what he needed and the patient would get medical services. Bartering has been around for a very long time. Archaeologists have found evidence of bartering systems from 8,000 years ago. One very good example comes from Native American archaeology. In some coastal Native American ruins turquoise from Arizona and New Mexico was found and the coastal beads and seashells were found inland. Bartering still happens today. What if someone has a Pokemon card you really want? Would you trade for it? Would you trade three cards for that one you really want?
Bartering was not always easy and carrying chickens over to the doctor’s office might not work out too well. This led people to do what people do; someone invented money. It was easier to carry around and lets be honest, money smells a lot better than livestock any day. In about 600 BC coins started appearing in Greece. It was not long after that when the Romans started making coins and the idea spread like a wildfire. The first coins looked like ours but not as perfectly made. The forms had carved images inside and very hot, melted metal was poured into them. Can you imagine your only job is to heat metal up enough to become liquid, and then pour it into a form? How many coins do you think they made in one day? Today our coins are stamped out, or minted so they all look alike. The United States has four mints. The mint in Philadelphia can make up to 32 million coins every day, or 13 billion coins every year.
Crossword Puzzle!
Some countries share currency. For example there are 20 countries on the European continent that share currency. Their currency is called the Euro. Italy, France, Spain and Germany are four of those countries. The Euro is the second most used currency in the world. Most other countries like the United States have their own currency. The most commonly used currency is the United States dollar. It has been in the number one position since WWII.
Understanding money is very important in today’s world. Everything you need to live costs money. Without money would you have a house, food or clothing? Would you have your gaming system, computer or phone? It is not only important to understand the value of money but also the value of what money buys. Once you learn all about money you learn
Eleanor Dooley Barn completed in time for Fair
JORDAN MAYBERRY FOR THE SENTINEL
After a year of dedicated effort, the Klickitat County fair board has completed the construction of its new sale barn just in time for this year’s Klickitat County Fair. The impressive 247 x 70-foot open-sided structure will serve as a hub for livestock transactions and animal displays during the fair, marking a significant milestone for the community.
The project was a long
time in the making, with the barn being dedicated to the late Eleanor Dooley, a lifelong supporter of farming and livestock in Klickitat County. Eleanor left a lasting legacy in her will.
“In her will, she left a million and a half dollars to the Fair Board,” said Past Board President Ron Ihrig, highlighting the immense contribution that made the barn’s construction possible. The newly completed structure has been named the Eleanor Dooley Barn in her honor.
When Eleanor passed away in 2013, her generous donation was earmarked for new projects that would benefit the fairgrounds. However, progress on utilizing these funds faced delays in the years that followed.
“It sat there for quite a few years,” Ihrig noted.
“When I got back on the Fair Board, I said we need to do a long-range plan.”
This plan aimed to maximize Eleanor’s contributions. Although initial momentum was building,
further delays occurred in 2020 due to the pandemic.
“We started before Covid, then Covid hit, and then we kind of worked through it,” Ihrig said, “And then fi nally two years ago we had a plan of attack.”
Emerging from the setbacks, a defi nite usage of the resources was put in motion, as Ihrig details: “We set two goals—first was to build a new sale barn, and the second goal was to increase electric and water for RV spaces.”
With a definite plan in
place for how the resources were to be used, construction on the Eleanor Dooley Barn began last year. The barn now stands as a testament to Elanor’s lifelong dedication to farming and livestock.
Eleanor’s impact on the community extends beyond the fairgrounds. In addition to her $1.5 million donation to the Fair Board, her will also provided significant contributions to other organizations and causes. “[She left] a million and a half to the Grange
and a million and a half, I think, to the senior centers, and then a million and half to scholarships,” Ihrig said, “which gives money to college and high school students going to college.” As July 29 marked 11 years since her passing, her influence remains strong. The Eleanor Dooley Barn will continue to support the livestock community she loved, ensuring that her name and contributions live on for generations to come.
County commission hears report on jail transfer
RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL
One of the highlights of the Klickitat County Commissioners’ August 6 meeting was the video appearance of Jose Briones, Chief Jail Administrator of Island County. He was hired by the county’s insurance risk pool to make a thorough examination of the Klickitat County jail system.
His credentials are impressive: 25 years in corrections and law enforcement, experience in both jails and prisons in Washington State and elsewhere, including a maximum security Federal prison with 3,200 beds. He came to Island County from the state Department of Corrections, when the sheriff asked him to realign that county’s jail.
Briones since has audited multiple jails and prisons, and began the county jail audit locally a month ago. It’s a decidedly thorough process.
“I was there about three days, and I looked at multiple shifts,” he told com-
missioners about his fi rst visit. “I didn’t just come in for one period; I came in for multiple periods and different days. I also met with the staff individually, including staff outside of the jail that are other stakeholders in the county.”
He said his review would look at policies and procedures, how the jail operates, the infrastructure of the physical plant, staffi ng levels, training, emergency responses, leadership, and outside contracts with providers, including medical services food services, budget needs and how funds are allocated within the department.
His formal report with his conclusions and observations will not be complete for another month, but he did have some early advice about the disadvantage of contracting for jail services with NORCOR.
“You will still be required to have some form of temporary holding facility and a transport division to move people back and forth,” he said, “which means you’re still going to have a food
contract. You’re still going to have to have a medical contract to manage medical. Really, it comes down to — do we want to invest the money in our own facility, and keep our people here and manage them the way we want to manage them? Or do we want to farm it out — and pay additional funds to do that?”
Though the NORCOR option is still on the table as the result of the original vote, the likelihood of such a contract with NORCOR isn’t being brought up any more at County Commission meetings. It’s possible the assessment of the situation by this respected expert will close out that concept.
HR Director Robb Van Cleave outlined a few of the things that will be transferred from the Sheriff’s Office to the new Department of Corrections once everything is in place.
“All the equipment that’s used in the operation of the jail,” he said, “all programs administered at the jail by the county sheriff, all jail records, forms and docu-
Photos from Fairs of yore
ments in possession of the jail, budget authority for facility staff–meaning the org chart–will be included in the fi nal budget resolution.”
In other business, at least one rumor was laid to rest at that meeting. During public comment, someone said they’d heard that the 51,000-acre Big Horn Fire in eastern Klickitat County had been started by a wind turbine and that it had burned up some solar panels.
Undersheriff Carmen Knopes, who had visited the scene, said that wasn’t the case at all. “There are witnesses that a lightning strike did start that Big Horn Fire,” she said.
“There’s no indication that there was a windmill; no turbines were destroyed during that. The solar farm–while it had fi re
underneath, none of the panels caught fi re.”
Christopher added that he met a man from the La Grande area who had been hired by the solar company to bring his sheep to the site to keep the grasses trimmed down to stubble.
“While that was never a requirement in their permit,” he said, “I do have to commend [solar farm operator] Avengrid for doing what’s right to mitigate fire, and having that expense, even though it was not a county requirement.”
Under the consent agenda, commissioners approved:
• Purchase of a full-size passenger van for Klickitat County Adult Probation.
• Professional services agreement with Celia Throop for expertise and technical guidance on behavioral health services
in the county as a designated crisis responder.
• Letter and certificate of appreciation to Linda Davis for her service on the Senior Services Advisory Board.
• Appointment of Brandon Essex to the Klickitat County Veterans Advisory Board.
• Amendment to the resolution appointing Marese Mitchell to the Klickitat County Senior Services Advisory Board, correcting her position description as representing District #3.
• Appointment of Lisa Birney to the KlickitatSkamania County Developmental Disabilities Board as a Schools/Education representative.
• Interagency agreement on a supplemental homeless grant for Washington Gorge Actions Programs.