Issuu

TIS THE SEASON

County Christmas church services

December 11 Advent Service & Soup Supper, 6 p.m., Christ the King Lutheran Church

December 18 Advent Service & Soup Supper, 6 p.m., Christ the King Lutheran Church

December 22 Christmas Celebration, 6 p.m., Columbus Avenue Baptist Church

December 24 Candlelight Service, 4:30 p.m., Community Grace Brethren Church

December 24 Candlelight Service, 6 p.m., Church of the Nazarene

December 24 Candlelight Service, 7 p.m., Christ the King Lutheran Church

December 24 Christmas Eve Sing: The Hymns of Christmas, 6 p.m., Klickitat Valley Baptist Church, Klickitat

December 24 Special Christmas Eve Service, 4 p.m., Bickleton Evangelical Community Church

December 29 Community Candlelight 5th Sunday Service, 6 p.m., New Life Assembly of God Church

Best Decorated Houses: 1st: Mandie Campbell and Levi Pettengill, 623 NE High 2nd: Brian Dudley, 627 Maple 3rd: Angela Minor, 1902 Jaxon

Best Decorated Businesses: 1st: Pat’s Place 2nd: Chloe’s Traditional Heirlooms 3rd: Riverview Bank

City council is quick

RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL

The Goldendale City Council, minus two councilors but plus a selection of ugly Christmas sweaters, whipped through a light agenda in just 28 minutes for their last meeting of the year Monday night. The sweaters were due to a suggestion made by Councilor Steve Johnston at the council’s previous December meeting.

Fire Chief Noah Halm reported on a fire that damaged a local house: “We did have a pretty big structure fire on the 8th,” he said. “It was in the 200 block of East Main, at 1:05 in the morning. From the time of the page to time of arrival, our first engine was there in seven minutes and 38 seconds.”

Unfortunately, the building was fully involved, though quick action by the fire department saved several neighboring residences. There were only two main

items on the agenda, a pair of consultant contracts with Pioneer Surveying and Engineering of Goldendale involving a major road project on Darland Street for $199,440 and a series of chip seal projects around the city for $109,830. Both passed unanimously, as did resolutions authorizing approval of state Transportation Investment Board grants to pay for the project. The grant for the Darland project, which involves street, sidewalk and stormwater reconstruction on Darland Street, is for $963,763 and the grant for the chip seal projects is a full $1,000,000. Councilor Andy Halm summed up the spirit of the meeting at the close: “I don’t know exactly who to thank or who to applaud,” he said, “but the Christmas parade on Saturday night was one of the best Christmas parades Goldendale has ever seen. Merry Christmas to everyone. Happy holidays. That’s it.”

A PARADE

AGES: There was common consensus that

Candy Cane Lane Parade was one

the best ever, led by Grand Marshal Ed Holbrook (pictured above).

G oldendale ’ s a ttic

This week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture

What’s this guy doing? Is he in a basement somewhere, with a single light bulb over his head? What’s that machine he’s operat-

ing? Why was this picture taken? We don’t have a clue. 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@goldendalesentinel. 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

December 9, 1924 – 100 Years Ago

The Hood River–White Salmon Bridge opened on December 9, 1924. The original name was the Waucoma Interstate Bridge. The bridge is the second oldest existing road bridge across the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon. It has only two very narrow (9’ 4.75”) travel lanes and no shoulders. Toll rate, 1924: Person over seven years of age – 10 cents, One animal plus one person 20 cents, animal-drawn vehicle – 75 cents, truck – 75 cents. Drove of animals 10 cents each plus one person.

December 11, 1929 – 95 Years Ago

Wishram – Dear Santa Claus, I have a big dog, and you had better look out. I am going to tie him up and he will not bite you. Santa Claus, you can bring me a car. I wish you good luck. What time shall I go to bed? Your friend, Fredrick Korthase.

December 7, 1939 – 85 Years Ago

The assignment of Trooper John Gulden, former Klickitat resident, to Goldendale effective immediately was announced this week by Harry Huse, chief of the Washington State Patrol. Gulden, who has been a member of the patrol for several years, was formerly stationed in Seattle. Gulden will make his headquarters in Goldendale. His territory will include eastern Klickitat County from the Yakima line west to Dallesport. End of Watch: Washington State Highway Patrolman John Henry Gulden was shot on December 22, 1942, as he approached a vehicle he had stopped for driving with no headlights on Maryhill Loops Road south of Goldendale. He was unaware the vehicle carried two teenage suspects wanted for robbery and car theft. He died the following day, Wednesday, December 23. He was the eighth of thirty WSP personnel who have died in the line of duty in the agency’s 100 years of service but the first to be mortally wounded during a gunfight. He was 43.

December 14, 1944 – 80 Years Ago

O. Bunnell, born in Centerville and now a Hood River resident, has written a book, “Legends of the Klickitats”. He made a lifetime hobby of listening to Indian legends. The first complete tale he heard came to him in lieu of cash when a tribe of Shoshones camped overnight on the Bunnell place, buying hay, melons, and fruit. They were all able to pay except one old chief, who instead took three hours to tell the boy an outline of the history of the Klickitat and Mid-Columbia Indians.

December 9, 1954 – 70 Years Ago

The PUD recently built a line extension into the Barrett Turkey Farm roosting area to provide night lighting for future Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. It seems that good lighting is good for turkeys as well as people. Perhaps it provides more “light meat.”

December 13, 1984 – 40 Years Ago

At the request of the Goldendale Post Office and Klickitat County’s board of commissioners, the Klickitat County Planning Department has developed a new permanent addressing system for all mail routes served by the Goldendale Post Office. The system proposed would assign 100 house numbers per mile, the numbers progressively increasing away from the point of origin. In most cases, Highway 97 would serve as the zero baseline for house numbers on east and west running roads while Highway 142 (Broadway within the Goldendale city limits) and the present Goldendale-Bickleton Road would be the reference point for streets running north and south. Odd numbers would be assigned to houses on the north and west sides of streets, and even numbers to those on south or east sides.

December 12, 1974 – 50 Years Ago

Lately the bulletin from Intermediate School District 105 at Yakima has been livened by inserting between paragraphs one-sentence instructions taken from “Rules for Teachers, 1872.” Possibly intended to convey the “you didn’t know you had it so good” message to present day teachers, the suggestions include the following: “Men teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly. Each teacher will bring a bucket of water and a scuttle of coal for the day’s session. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool halls, or gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity, and honesty. Women teachers who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed.”

December 16, 1964 – 60 Years Ago

Judge Ross Rakow started a trial in Ephrata with 12 jurors and ended up with 13. A woman juror gave birth during the night to a baby girl. Even a restraining order couldn’t have helped that situation. She was excused from further duty, and the case went on with the remaining 11 jurors.

—Richard Lefever

County Historical Society

Answer to last week’s Mystery Picture

This picture has been colorized. Rusty McEwen called in to let us know last week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture was of his sister Dalia (McEwen) Wolverton. He thought this picture was most likely while she was still in high school and possibly had something to do with the Rainbows. While digging through our archives for information on Dalia, we came across her obituary from 2019, which noted “Dalia was born May 30, 1934, in

Points to ponder:

and was

school

Harold E.

Wolverton on December 31, 1952, in Goldendale. The couple moved to Germany where Harold was serving in the U.S. Air Force in 1955, returning to the United States in late 1956. The family moved to Alaska in 1958 and was there to celebrate statehood. Dalia has resided in Anchorage since then.”

I like to stop the timer on my microwave at 1 second so I can feel like I’m defusing a bomb.

I’m going to a support group for compulsive talkers. It’s called On and On Anon.

I’ll take the high road. You take the psycho path.

I used to resent going to boarding school as a kid, but now I can get on a plane better than anyone.

“Doctor, I snore so loudly, I keep myself awake.” “Have you tried sleeping in another room?”

Did you hear about the guy who thought the International Date Line was a matchmaking service?

Klickitat, Washington,

the eldest of six children. She married her high

sweetheart,

(Bud)

Mary was just an ordinary girl, but she was special in the eyes of God. She was someone God knew he could choose to enter the world as the baby Jesus. Mary and husband to be Joseph followed the leadership of God and were willing vessels to be used of God. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and placed in a cow’s trough. This young couple had to sleep in a barn because the town was crowded, and there was no room for them in the inn.

They were poor people, and they had a new baby. The conditions were less than ideal for the care of a mom and a newly delivered baby.

God took care of them. Even when an evil king was paranoid by the birth of Jesus, God directed them to relocate to Egypt for a period of time.

Jesus grew up, and at the young age of 12 was confounding the religious leaders with his knowledge and wisdom. This young man would grow up to be the greatest man who has ever lived. He was different. He was a man, but He was also God in the flesh. Yes, he hurt just like we hurt, bled like we bleed, and was tempted as we are tempted, but He was God.

John the Baptist recognized Him as the lamb of God. The disciples recognized they were living in the presence of deity.

No one else has ever lived the way Jesus lived. He healed the sick. He gave the blind sight. He enabled the lame to walk. He raised the dead. He fed masses of people with a few loaves of bread and fish. More books have been written about Jesus than any other person. The Bible is the best-selling book of all time. Every week billions of people worship him publicly and privately.

Jesus loved like no other person, but he had great opposition. Sadly, most of the opposition was from the religious crowd of his day. They weren’t satisfied until they convinced the political leadership of that day to execute Jesus publicly on a cross. His execution was brutal, humiliating, shameful, and repulsive. The way Jesus was treated fully exposed the wickedness of mankind and the literal cruelty of religion.

The story of Jesus does not end at the cross or his burial. The story of Jesus doesn’t end at all. Three days later the stone was rolled away from his burial tomb, and he emerged alive as the victorious Son of God who conquered death, hell, and the grave. He spent time with his followers teaching and equipping them before his departure into heaven right before their very eyes.

As he ascended into heaven the angels told the disciples, “Why do you stand here gazing up into heaven. This same Jesus shall come again in like manner.”

From that day forward the disciples became the greatest group of missionaries of all time. Everywhere they went, they told the story of Jesus. Everyone who heard the story and believed the story was forever changed.

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)

Obits@goldendalesentinel.com (Obituaries)

Classifieds @goldendalesentinel.com (Classified ads and inquiries)

Ads @goldendalesentinel.com (Display advertising information and inquiries)

Legals @goldendalesentinel.com (Legal and public notices)

Payables@goldendalesentinel.com

Receivables@goldendalesentinel.com

Events @goldendalesentinel.com (Events and activities)

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

Do you believe the story? Have you heard this story? Maybe you’ve heard it many, many times. Possibly, you never grow tired of hearing the story. It’s an old, old story but it’s the story that gives us hope. This story of Jesus keeps us going, looking forward to better things and better times.

The story of Jesus is the story of life, peace, hope, and forgiveness of all of our sins. It’s the story about heaven and seeing our loved ones again. It’s the story that often turns houses into homes, lifts drug addicts out of ditches, gives people a sense of direction and purpose in life.

A heavenly host of angels proclaimed to shepherds watching their flocks, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

May the greatest story ever told become the greatest story you know personally.

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.

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

He’s a hero

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

Ed Holbrook is one of our community heroes. Ed and his team take care of a part of our lives that few of us care to deal with or are willing to tackle. We should also note the years of financial investment in community programs and extracurricular activities. Bishop Companies service to Klickitat County and beyond is substantial. So from all of us who live outside the reaches of a municipal sewer system, we appreciate you! And from the rest of us who have had to handle business in one of your plastic potties, the same! If nothing else, the plastic potty experience gives us a deeper appreciation for the feel of real porcelain and enameled wood.

Ken McKune Goldendale

efit wealthy individuals and corporations.

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.”

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

To Ed and the Bishop Crew: Keep up the good work.

Chad Moody Goldendale

How much money is enough?

The unofficial slogan of the national Republican Party ought to be “Making rich folks richer.”

By the end of January, the GOP will control both houses of Congress as well as the executive branch. They’ve made a lot of promises, but based on current and past behavior, there is one commitment they’ll actually honor: tax cuts that ben-

The last time the Republicans controlled the White House and Congress, their biggest “accomplishment” was their tax cut. They’ll do it again, and they’ll try to sell it as a Middle Class Tax Cut. Don’t be fooled. Their 2017 tax cut resulted in the richest 0.1 percent of taxpayers receiving an average tax cut of $250,000, while the bottom 20 percent of workers received an average cut of $70. Pfizer Corporation earned $27 billion in the four years after the tax cut enactment and paid zero federal income taxes. The tax cuts will worsen our national debt, but don’t worry. Republican lawmakers say they’ll save money by cutting education funding and food stamp allotments.

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

easy, and it’s free! How nice. This Direct File service has been a runaway success. Americans love this service by which the IRS made tax-filing easier and cost-free—the public servants of the IRS thus doing us ordinary (not ultra-rich) people a favor.

Well, MAGA Congressmen Adrian Smith and Chuck Edwards have written a letter to Donald Trump urging him to terminate “Direct File” (Wiki calls it E-file), the IRS’s free tax-filing service, terminate it on “day one” through an executive order! The letter was cosigned by 27 (MAGA) House Republicans. Now, why do the MAGA Republicans want this service terminated?

You won’t find this information on FOX news. Its mega-billionaire owner, Rupert Murdoch, doesn’t want you to know.

Rick George White Salmon

Blood suckers

A while back, I decided that it was silly to pay TurboTax to file my 1040. It’s not rocket science. Then I found out that the IRS offers a free, online tax-filing service, called e-File (also called Direct File). I have used it ever since, with no problems. It’s

Guidelines for Letters

The corporations with commercial tax-filing services have been howling that they are losing money. Oh, dear, we wouldn’t want that! In fact, one of Trump’s biggest billionairedonors is Sasan Goodarzi, the CEO of Intuit. Intuit owns TurboTax! Well, well, well. Trump promised to drain the swamp, but he obviously doesn’t give a damn about ordinary Americans. He and the MAGA-men in Congress would rather do big favors for—billionaires! Billionaire, blood-sucking, swamp monsters. TurboTax wants your money and MAGA men will make it, so you must pay TurboTax. Think about it.

Sallie Skakel Goldendale

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 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.

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 will 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’ve heard reports that Santa’s ride on a fire truck around the Glenwood valley last week, greeting children along the way, was a very special evening for those children. For those who didn’t live on Santa’s route, the Glenwood General Store had a bonfire and hot cocoa for the kids and their parents who waited there for Santa to stop by. This community greatly appreciates the Glenwood Fire Department for making Santa’s ride possible, the General Store for providing a fun, warm place for some of the children to wait to see Santa, and, most especially, Santa for making the evening so memorable for the kids. I’m sure they all went to bed with smiles that night.

Last Friday, the Glenwood school elementary students spent the afternoon creating colorful, very sweet gingerbread houses. A lot of icing and candy goes into those decorations, and I think all the children go home with quite a sugar high each time they do this project. This is such a memorable tradition for the Glenwood students. Older students, staff, and volunteers helped the kids create their masterpieces. The gingerbread houses were on display in the multipurpose room for parents and grandparents to see after the school Christmas program. I spoke to one 5th grader after school that day and asked her if she ate any of the candy while creating her gingerbread house work of art. Her reply was, “Well, yeah!” Sort of like, duh, of course. That’s part of the tradition. A huge thanks goes to the Glenwood school staff and volunteers for making this fun event possible for the kids.

We received a few inches of snow on Friday but not enough to cause a delayed start or early dismissal for Glenwood students. It continued to pile up somewhat through the night, but our dedicated county road crew worked hard, long hours to keep the roads clear. We appreciate them all year long, but especially at times like these. I’m an early riser and see the plow hard at work making the rounds in those early hours as I look out my office window. Now we’re back to the colder weather and the road crews are continuing to do snow berm cleanup and sanding for the slick roads. Thank you, Klickitat County, Public Works Department road

crews, for all you do for our community.

Our little Glenwood post office is seeing another change as we said goodbye to our great postal clerk, Kara Griffin. Kara’s last day was Friday, December 14. Kara and her husband Dan have a lot of adventures planned in their future, and we just want to thank her for running the post office so well these last couple years. Her new replacement, Dianna Dillenburg, will soon be the new face behind the counter as soon as she finishes the last bit of required training. When you see Dianna at her new post there, please introduce yourself and welcome her to our historic little post office.

Klickwood had a very full weekend of basketball but very successful.

Friday night they had a non-league game with Vernonia, a larger, 2A school from the coast, and came away with the win. They got up early Saturday morn-

ing and traveled south for the Condon Tournament. Klickwood played Griswold and finished with the win. Freshman Wyatt Patterson led the team with scoring and assists. Xavier Cloud had 17 points and Gavin Bensel, team captain and senior leader, scored 10 points and led in rebounds. Anthony Avila came off the bench strong and scored some points. The Spino brothers are huge assets in the team with regard to rebounding and steals. The Trout Lake Mustangs girls, including Glenwood kids Emma Patterson and Jayla Avila, also had a great weekend. On Thursday they defeated Pilot Rock, then had a win against Echo on Friday. That was a huge upset for Echo, ranked number three in the state. They continued to play hard on Saturday, finishing their weekend of play with a loss to Union, the team that is ranked number one. Klickwood played very well and should feel proud of their great work out on the court.

Tamara Kaufman for The SenTinel

Donors responded to a call to help even more families this holiday season through the Tree of Joy program run by Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP), increasing the number of children reached by nearly 100 this year.

“It’s such an amazing thing to see the community come together to help support families in need,” said Kristi Packer, a WAGAP housing program coordinator from Goldendale. Her team connected with families they thought could use a little extra help in the Goldendale area. Then, they sourced more donors.

“We did outreach for sponsors, both online and in person, going business to business in our community to spread the word,” Packer said. “We also have collected gifts in our housing office, getting them organized and ready to hand out in time for Christmas.”

Previously known as Christmas for Community Children, the grassroots effort began in the early 2000s and was run by caring individual volunteers working with local schools in White Salmon. The goal was to provide essential winter items like coldweather coats, clothing, hats, gloves, and boots with a special gift item or toy that brightens a child’s holiday season.

In a push to make it more sustainable, the White Salmon-Bingen Rotary Club, whose members like Gary Clouse had been among the project’s original volunteers, approached WAGAP in 2017 to consider becoming the primary entity to coordinate efforts.

The Community Action Agency used its Food Bank Network to help identify families in need, taking the burden off local school counselors and preventing duplication of requests.

The program was rebranded as Tree of Joy and grew from 100 to 200 children being supported yearly. Still centered in White Salmon/Bingen, the Food Banks began to fill a few requests from the Stevenson and Goldendale WAGAP offices. This year, Packer’s team wanted to make an even bigger impact in the community.

“We work with many families who are struggling to make ends meet, who are trying to decide if they put their money towards rent, food or energy assistance, living paycheck to paycheck,”

Packer said. “I love being able to help families feel less stressed. It makes my heart happy being able to help provide gifts for their littles and give them something else to look forward to.”

The effort was a recipe for success. This year, the Tree of Joy is reaching 108 children in Eastern Klickitat County, 194 in Western Klickitat County, and six in Skamania County. WAGAP has been the coordinator for vetting families, sourcing wish lists, and organizing deliveries, but the businesses, organizations, and individual donors supply the wrapped gifts.

“Seeing the Tree of Joy grow over the years has been a wonderful journey for our members,” said Chuck Henschel, president of the White SalmonBingen Rotary Club. “Our club initially sponsored a handful of students and gradually increased to 25 children. This year, we

secured matching funds from our Rotary District 5100 grant program, allowing us to expand to 50 children. We are proud to make a major impact in the program, helping families in need relieve their holiday financial burden.”

Packer couldn’t agree more with Henschel’s sentiment as she added, “Over the years, I have witnessed such a gathering of kind humans in our town come forward and donate their time, money, services, and energy towards helping others. It’s such a blessing.” Annual planning for the Tree of Joy typically begins by the end of September. To participate as a future donor, contact Patty Gallardo by email at patty@ wagap.org to get added to the list for 2025. To learn more about other programs helping families in need in Klickitat and Skamania counties, visit www.wagap. org or call (509) 493-2662.

Fahlenkamp retires

Jordan Mayberry For The SenTinel

A retirement party was held recently for Betty Fahlenkamp, a long-time employee and office manager for the local USDA operations office in Goldendale.

Fahlenkamp, who began working for the USDA in 1986 and has served as the office manager for the past five years, reflected on her unexpected journey with the organization:

“When I was young and my kids got to school age, I was looking for employment, and I was just asking around town, and they were hiring here [at the USDA]. I was hired on as a temporary employee and was going to be here for three months, and I ended up here for 38 years.”

Over nearly four decades, Fahlenkamp witnessed remarkable changes, particularly in technology, which transformed both her role and the way the USDA operates. “Computers were always challenging,” she recalled. Starting her career

during the advent of personal computers, Fahlenkamp described the evolution with awe: “I came in with the computers and just going through old IBM 36 machines to getting upgraded to machines that were actually on the web and talking to each other—not only our state office, but [also] our national office. Then, all of a sudden, we’re going out to all the producers and talking to all of them, and then every office in the United States can see what’s going on in every other office in the United States. It’s just been mindblowing what IT has done to our office and what we do.”

Among her proudest achievements, Fahlenkamp highlighted earning her role as office manager—a position she once considered out of reach. “My most important milestone was actually becoming a manager of this office,” she said. “I worked as a program assistant for 30-plus years and have only been manager for the last four to five. In the beginning, it was impossible for me to

think I would ever get this position because I did not have a Bachelor’s degree, and about five years ago, they changed the requirements to where I could actually get it.”

While she is closing this chapter of her professional life, Fahlenkamp has no plans to slow down. She shared her excitement for retirement and the chance to reconnect with her roots.

“My husband and I have a farm out in Blockhouse, and I have not been close to that farm for many, many years. I just look forward to spending more time on it. I look forward to not spending time in a chair. I have a brother and a sister who live close, and we like to hike in the Gorge. I am just looking forward to being more active.”

Her retirement marks a return to her lifelong ties to agriculture. Fahlenkamp, who comes from a family of farmers, expressed her deep gratitude for the farming community she has served for so many years: “I was born and raised in farming. My parents’ parents were

farmers as well, and this is a community of people that I have grown up with, and it’s just been such a great honor to be able to serve them and help them to different programs while working in this office. Farmers are just great people. You can’t beat them, and I’ve just enjoyed my time being able to work with them.”

The job wasn’t without challenges, particularly navigating the complexities of federal agricultural programs: “Every five years there is a new farm bill, which means new programs, and then you have to sit down and brainstorm, ‘Okay, which producers is it going to apply to, and how can we get a hold of them, and how can we get them in it?’” For Fahlenkamp, adapting to constant change was key.

“I guess I’ve always been learning in the last 38 years, because if things are always changing, you have to keep up on it, you have to keep your brain going.”

Fahlenkamp expressed special gratitude for a colleague who made her years at the USDA particularly meaningful. “One of the best things that happened in my career happened 25 years ago,” she recalled. “We hired Noreen Barkowski, and she was the same level as I was, a program assistant. We’ve worked together for 25 years. She just retired last month. It’s been a great working relationship, I can’t imagine anybody having a better partner to work with.”

Fahlenkamp’s retirement not only marks the end of an era for the USDA office but also serves as a testament to her decades of dedication to the farming community.

Singles Auction held for Golden Giving Tree

Zachary Villar

For The SenTinel

A Singles Auction was held in Goldendale on December 13 at the American Legion in Goldendale. This event consisted of people bidding for dates with different noncoupled men and women from the community. The money raised during the event will go towards the Golden Giving Tree, a charity started by Taletha Wagoner to buy Christmas presents for children whose families cannot afford to buy presents for them. The auction raised $2,477, and the Golden Giving Tree is giving presents to nearly 200 local children.

The home base for the Golden Giving Tree is Pat’s Place on Main Street. Those wanting to receive donations from the charity could either contact Wagoner directly, or they could come into Pat’s Place and take a paper star from the Christmas tree fill out their kid’s name and address and what presents the child wants for Christmas.

Also, anyone wanting to get involved in the giving could come and pick a star and choose to provide that gift for that child.

“People come here, and they get happy,” said Wagoner sitting in Pat’s Place surrounded by presents she and other volunteers were wrapping in preparation for them to go to children throughout the community.

“The more presents they see here, the happier they get.”

Wagoner said that growing up in poverty was part of the inspiration for creating the Golden Giving Tree. “My parents were really poor,” explained Wagoner. Her Grandma took her to a local store in Camas, Oregon that had a Golden Giving Tree and put her and her brother’s name on stars. Then, as if by some Christmas miracle, the gifts began flowing in.

“Not only did they find us two cords of wood because we didn’t have heat, they got the whole community together,” said Wagoner.

“We had farmers showing up bringing us food boxes. We had all kinds of people in the community dropping off presents almost all day, just boxes and boxes of stuff.”

Charitable people even brought Wagoner’s family a decorated Christmas tree.

“When me and my brother got home from school, there was this big tree, we had food, and my mom was crying, I remember that.”

The Singles Auction was another creative idea from Wagoner to raise money for the charity. Dates with thirteen people were auctioned off. At the Legion Hall, those offering dates with themselves stood on stage while people in the audience raised their paddles to bid. The starting price of all dates was $20 and some of the dates ended up selling for more than $300.

Despite the success, Wagoner thought it could have been even better but

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.

that some people didn’t show up because they didn’t think it was real. She explained that the idea for the event started as a joke but then became a reality. “I decided, ‘Why not?’, said Wagoner. “I think I can pull it off, so I did the best I could.”

Shesaid she was glad that she decided to do it because it has already inspired future events like a Christmas in July to start raising money for the Golden Giving Tree earlier in the year.

Cue Ridley who was one of the women present at the American Legion that night with whom a date was being auctioned. She said she did it for to help the kids and that she herself had been the beneficiary of a similar Christmas charity as a child.

“I remember coming home and there being presents under the tree, all from Santa,” said Ridley. “I’m happy to help with them getting more funding so that they can get every single gift on the tree.”

Wagoner wished to thank the following people who contributed to the event: Daniel Lefever and Bishops Services, the Ross Foundation, Pat Farrer and Pat’s Place, the American Legion, Dad’s Sourdough Bakery, D’Avanzo’s, Ayutla’s, the Town House Cafe, the HonkyTonk Bar and Restaurant, and a special thanks to the volunteers who helped make the first ever Goldendale Singles Auction a huge success for the Golden Giving Tree.

Church Directory

GRACE BRETHREN

Community Grace Brethren 1180 S Roosevelt, Goldendale. Pastor Aaron Wirick. 509.773.3388. Sun Service 10:30am in person. Wed: AWANA 2pm. Youth Group 6pm8pm 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; Pastors Rob Blevins and Larry Gourley; 509.773.4461. Service times: Worship 9:30 ; 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 10:45 ; Sunday School all ages 9:30 goldendalenaz@gmail.com

NEW LIFE ASSEMBLY of GOD 1602 S Columbus, Goldendale; Pastor Kevin Gerchak, 509.773.4650; Sun. School 9:30 ; 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 10:30am; Wednesday Bible Study 7pm RiverofLife222.org

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST 1/2 mile east on Bickleton Hwy. Sabbath School Sat. 9:30am; Worship Service 11am; 509.773.4381.

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. FHF1880@outlook.com “A Gospel-Centered Church.”

File photo

RETIRED: Betty Fahlenkamp worked at the Goldendale USDA office for close to four decades. She is seen here speaking at the Cattleman’s Dinner.

Zachary Villar

UP FOR BID: Jesse Howard strikes a pose as people bid for a date with him during the Singles Auction at the American Legion to raise money for the Golden Giving Tree charity.

E xtra

GMS starts wrestling team

Zachary Villar

For The SenTinel

For the first time in the school’s history, Goldendale Middle School has an all girls’ wrestling team. Prior to this year, girls interested in wrestling had to join the boys wrestling team and wrestle boys. The separation of girls and boys teams has caused an increase in interest in wrestling among young ladies. Last year there were only three girls on the school’s wrestling team, and this year there are twelve.

“I think it’s awesome,” said Goldendale School District Activities Director Alan Hale who pushed for the school to have a separate wrestling team for girls. He said that there are girls on the wrestling team who others in the athletics department never expected to join what Hale called the toughest sport in the world.

“You have to have the cardiovascular conditioning of a crosscountry runner...and you’ve got to have the guts to go out there and go one on one,” explained Hale. According to U.S. News story from March of this year, girls’ wrestling is the fastest growing high school sport in the country. Washington was the third state in the country to sanction girls’ wrestling behind Hawaii and Texas.

Sanctioning means that schools in the state are allowed to create girls only teams that are recognized by state athletic associations.

“It’s pretty fun,” said 8th grade student Skyla Oswalt of her first year on the girls’ wrestling team. She had won all her matches in the wrestling competition that had taken place the night before on Dec 10th in Goldendale. She said that despite it being her first year on the team, she’d gotten used to such a tough sport pretty quickly. “I definitely have a lot of bruises.”

Trina Visser, head coach for the middle school girls’ wrestling team, said that as girls reach middle school age and start to mature, it was difficult to encourage them to continue wrestling and enjoying the sport when they had to wrestle boys. Her daughter Mozzy Visser was the one girl on the boys’ wrestling team before the sexes were segregated. Her husband Chris was a wrestler and since she was one of the main people pushing for separate boys’ and girls’ teams, she decided to step up and coach the girls’ team. She spoke about the benefits for the girls of having a female coach.

“I think being a mom and having nurturing qualities, but still having a lot of strength can kind of balance out what you need,”said Coach Visser. She said that there were huge life lessons to be learned in the sport, like how to lose gracefully and how to learn from those losses.

“It might sound kind of silly comparing life skills to wrestling, but I don’t know many other sports where you have fight-or-flight in six minutes, where your adrenaline is pumping and you win or lose, those are

your choices, and you have to learn about both winning and losing, said Coach Visser. “I think a woman’s touch, for the girls, at this level, is great for them.”

Coach Visser’s daughter Mozzy said that the switch from playing on the boys’ team to playing on the all girls’ team has been a really good experience and understands how different it is to be wrestling girls versus wrestling boys.

“I had a really hard time wrestling boys and I was not the strongest, then I went into girls’ [wrestling] and I whipped everybody,” said Mozzy Visser. She said that she considers the sport to be hard but really fun and hopes to earn a college scholarship through wrestling.

“It’s the oldest sport in the world,” said Hale of wrestling. “It’s a very ancient, male dominated thing.” Hale said that the he started seeing girls become interested in the sport in the late nineties when, while officiating wrestling in Spokane, he began to see one or two high school girls competing every weekend.

“I’d talk to them and try to get into their head, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, I love wrestling’”, said Hale. “It’s one of those things where the growth is there, some states just aren’t doing it yet. Delaware, Indiana, Mississippi, Vermont and Virginia are the only states that have not sanctioned girls’ wrestling. “Wrestling in college is flourishing for women.”

Girls are not the only ones benefiting from the segregation of sexes in middle school wrestling. In 2023 there were 21 total participants (male and female) in the wrestling, and this year there are thirty-one boys signed up to compete is wrestling

in January of 2025 when the boys’ season begins. Hale said that he thinks this increase in interest is due in part to this younger generation’s sensitivity and awareness towards issues of comfort or discomfort between the sexes.

“A blessing for this generation is that they’re a lot more aware of things and a lot more cognizant of people’s comfort levels, and so I really think it’s that,” said Hale, a father of two daughters.

While the number of young people involved in athletics is important for many reasons, such as increasing the likelihood of graduation and helping keep the youth out of trouble by decreasing the likelihood of involvement with drugs and alcohol and avoiding teenage pregnancies, Hale spoke about the importance of the pioneering courage of Goldendale’s girls.

“I don’t know if these girls understand the significance of what they’re doing. The first ever girls only wrestling program [in Goldendale]. They’re setting an example, they’re setting a standard, they’re changing the world around them. I hope someday they do get the opportunity to understand that and just how huge and significant that was... That’s the thing I want our community to know and our girls to know: this is awesome. I’m thankful the school board approved it, I’m excited the girls came out, I’m thankful we got the coaches we got, and I hope these girls get to understand just how amazing this is for them.”

FOGL hold open house

Jordan Mayberry For The SenTinel

On December 13, the Friends of the Goldendale Library hosted an open house in the Camplan Room, featuring crafts, cake, live music, and a special tribute to one of their longest-standing contributors, Dr. James Ogden. The Camplan Room, which the Friends hope will serve as the site of their future bookstore, welcomed library supporters to mark this milestone.

After receiving an award from Wu, Ogden treated attendees to live seasonal carols and tunes on an upright piano. Speaking upon receiving the honor, he shared fond memories of past fundraisers: “People were always very generous; we always had more than enough money.” He also recalled the Friends’ decision to host the 50th anniversary celebration at the Library rather than at local churches. “There were a lot of people that supported us who don’t go to church anywhere and probably weren’t comfortable,” he said, “and this was neutral ground for everybody. That’s why we made sure to have a presentation here.”

Recently retired from full-time work after 51 years of optometric practice, Ogden also shared his plans for the future: “I’ve retired from full-time work, but I’m still planning on doing out-ofoffice things. I’m going to do just the ‘fun side’ of my job.”

The Friends of the Goldendale Library’s 50th anniversary marks a significant recovery for the organization, which faced near-dissolution following COVID-related disruptions in 2020. The group presented a document outlining a brief history of their beginnings and accomplishments, which rea:

Sara Wu, a key contributor to the Friends of the Library, opened the event with a speech honoring Ogden’s years of service. “He was very important in the beginning, particularly in setting up the Ice-Cream Social Projects,” Wu said, highlighting his dedication to fundraising efforts. She elaborated on his impact: “He worked very, very hard on all our book sales, and he’s been a mainstay of programs here. To this day, if we need a little music, here he comes.” Wu also reflected on the broader purpose of the Library and the Friends organization. “One of the main purposes of the library, and therefore the Friends of the Library, is to expand our experiences, expand our knowledge,” she said. “There are lots of people here who haven’t traveled the world, and we need to have these interactions.” Wu’s reflection connected to Ogden’s own global experiences, including his time in the missionary field.

“Soon after Goldendale joined the Fort Vancouver Regional Library system in 1972, a few local library users, with encouragement from librarian Jean Thompson, founded the Friends of the Goldendale Library in November 1974. The original members each contributed one dollar in yearly dues and, in 1975, raised $394 at a rummage sale. This allowed for their first physical contribution to the Library—a bench for its front entrance.”

Membership grew steadily over the following years, reaching 56 members in 1976. That same year, the Friends hosted their first Ice Cream Social and book sale, both of which became financial cornerstones for the organization. “The annual book sale provides most of the income for the Friends.

Since 1976, over $13,000 has been raised at this event.

The Ice Cream Social, a Goldendale summer tradition, has raised over $3,000,” the Friends noted. Gifts, membership dues, and other fundraising efforts continue to support the Library’s programs and resources.

The event not only celebrated a half-century of contributions but also underscored the importance of community support for the Library’s mission. As the Friends look ahead, their commitment to fostering education, connection, and enrichment in Goldendale remains as strong as ever.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ON-CALL SURVEYING SERVICES

Klickitat County intends to set up one on-call, negotiated hourly rate agreement for survey services with companies that specialize in performing surveys, setting or re-setting property corners, section corners or monuments. Projects are located throughout Klickitat County and consist of proposed roadway, bridge reconstruction projects, and rock quarry sites.

Sealed proposals will be received by: Kristina Duncan Klickitat County Public Works Department

Mailing Address: 115 West Court Street, Box 303 Goldendale, WA 98620

Physical Address: 115 West Court Street, Room 302 Goldendale, WA 98620

Email: kristinad@klickitatcounty.org

Fax: (509) 773-5713 until 2:00 p.m. on January 08, 2025 at which time proposals will be opened and evaluated by the County.

Proposal documents may be found on the Klickitat County Public Works Department’s website at http://www.klickitatcounty.org/1230/GoodsServices-Bidding-and-BidResults or by going to http:// bxwa.com and clicking on: Posted Projects; Goods & Services; Klickitat County Goods & Services; and Projects Bidding. Bidders are encouraged to “Register” in order to receive automatic email notification of future addenda and to place themselves on the self registered “Bidders List.” This on-line plan room provides Bidders with fully usable on-line documents; with the ability to: download, print to your own printer, order full / partial plan sets from numerous reprographic sources (on-line print order form), and a free on-line digitizer / takeoff tool. Contact Builders Exchange of Washington at 425258-1303 should you require assistance.

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 County’s Human Resources Department. For additional information regarding Title VI complaint procedures and/ or information regarding our non-discrimination obligations, please contact Klickitat County’s Title VI Coordinator at (509) 773-7171 or by email at: titlevi@klickitatcounty.org. (4904, 5002, 5101)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ON-CALL REAL ESTATE SERVICES

Klickitat County intends to set up one on-call, negotiated hourly rate, agreement for Real Estate Services with companies that specialize in performing real estate acquisitions for public agencies. The firm performing real estate services must have a strong ability to provide complete real estate services beginning at scoping and conceptual levels, to appraisals, through negotiations up to submission of the final documentation. Sealed proposals will be received by: Kristina Duncan

N otices

Klickitat County Public Works Department

Mailing Address: 115 West Court Street, Box 303 Goldendale, WA 98620

Physical Address: 115 West Court Street, Room 302 Goldendale, WA 98620

Email: Kristinad@klickitatcounty.org

Fax: (509) 773-5713 until 2:00 p.m. on January 08, 2025 at which time proposals will be opened and evaluated by the County. Proposal documents may be found on the Klickitat County Public Works Department’s website at http://www.klickitatcounty.org/1230/GoodsServices-Bidding-and-BidResults or by going to http:// bxwa.com and clicking on: Posted Projects; Goods & Services; Klickitat County Goods & Services; and Projects Bidding. Bidders are encouraged to “Register” in order to receive automatic email notification of future addenda and to place themselves on the self registered “Bidders List.” This on-line plan room provides Bidders with fully usable on-line documents; with the ability to: download, print to your own printer, order full / partial plan sets from numerous reprographic sources (on-line print order form), and a free on-line digitizer / takeoff tool. Contact Builders Exchange of Washington at 425258-1303 should you require assistance.

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ON-CALL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Klickitat County intends to set up one on-call, negotiated hourly rate, agreement for environmental services with companies that specialize in environmental permitting, performing on-site surveys and studies, wetland identification and mitigation, completing reports or biological assessments and peer review of transportation project designs in regards to environmental engineering and permitting. Sealed proposals will be received by: Kristina Duncan Klickitat County Public Works Department

Mailing Address: 115 West Court Street, Box 303 Goldendale, WA 98620

Physical Address: 115 West Court Street, Room 302 Goldendale, WA 98620

Email: kristinad@klickitatcounty.org

This Just In....

Public Notice: Public Officials Oath of Office

12/31/2024 - Klickitat County Auditor’s Office

Klickitat County Determination of Non-Significance: Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance - Klickitat

County Planning Department

• Notice of Availability: Final Environmental Impact Statement and Adoption Notice for Bluebird Solar Project EOZ2021-01 and SEP2021-17 - Klickitat County

Planning Department

Public Notice: Small Works Roster for 2025 - Klickitat

County Planning Department

Notice of Public Hearing: Supplemental Budget 12/31/24 - Klickitat County Fiscal Services

Results or by going to http:// bxwa.com and clicking on: Posted Projects; Goods & Services; Klickitat County Goods & Services; and Projects Bidding. Bidders are encouraged to “Register” in order to receive automatic email notification of future addenda and to place themselves on the self registered “Bidders List.” This on-line plan room provides Bidders with fully usable on-line documents; with the ability to: download, print to your own printer, order full / partial plan sets from numerous reprographic sources (on-line print order form), and a free on-line digitizer / takeoff tool. Contact Builders Exchange of Washington at 425258-1303 should you require assistance.

Title VI Statement

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ON-CALL ARCHAEOLOGICAL/HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION SERVICES

Klickitat County intends to set up one on-call, negotiated hourly rate agreements for Archaeological Services with companies that specialize in performing on-site reconnaissance surveys, consultations with local tribes, and preparing in depth technical survey reports, all in accordance with the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP). Projects are located throughout Klickitat County and consist of proposed roadway, bridge reconstruction projects, and rock quarry sites. Sealed proposals will be received by: Kristina Duncan Klickitat County Public Works Department

Mailing Address: 115 West Court Street, MS-303 Goldendale, WA 98620

Physical Address: 115 West Court Street, Room 302 Goldendale, WA 98620

Email: kristinad@klickitatcounty.org

of BARBARA MAXINE CLACK, Deceased. Case No. 24-4-00072-20

PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS RCW 11.40.030

tatcounty.org/1230/GoodsServices-Bidding-and-BidResults or by going to http:// bxwa.com and clicking on: Posted Projects; Goods & Services; Klickitat County Goods & Services; and Projects Bidding. Bidders are encouraged to “Register” in order to receive automatic email notification of future addenda and to place themselves on the self registered “Bidders List.” This on-line plan room provides Bidders with fully usable on-line documents; with the ability to: download, print to your own printer, order full / partial plan sets from numerous reprographic sources (on-line print order form), and a free on-line digitizer / takeoff tool. Contact Builders Exchange of Washington at 425258-1303 should you require assistance.

Title VI Statement

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

The Klickitat County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee will meet at Noon on December 18th, 2024 at the County Services Building,115 W. Court Street, Room 100, Goldendale, WA. For more information please call (509) 773-7060. (4910, 5008)

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Klickitat Fire Protection District #2 seeking bids for a side by side. Specifications: 1000cc, Direct drive transmission, 5 passenger, 4X4, Hard top, Skid plates, Front and rear bumper, Winch kit, Street legal kit, Cab that can be removed, Hard front windshield that can be opened, Windshield wiper, Heater, Hard front and rear doors. Please send quote to Klickitat Fire Department #2 P.O. Box 82 Bickleton Washington 99322 Quotes need to be postmarked by 01/03/2025. Any questions please send them via email to Bickleton.fire@ gmail.com (5009, 5105)

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR KLICKITAT COUNTY In the Matter of the Estate

The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving or mailing to the personal representative or the personal representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.

Date of first publication: December 11, 2024

Howard E. Clack, Personal Representative Estate of Barbara Maxine Clack PO Box 2350 The Dalles OR 97058 (5010, 5106, 5201)

REQUEST FOR QUOTES

Klickitat PUD is Requesting for Quote - Snow Plow Services for Fall 2024 through Spring 2025 (RFQ# 2024-102) for our various facilities across our service area. For the full RFQ, please email Seth Jones sjones@klickpud.com or by calling 509-773-7607. Deadline to submit quotes is December 20, 2024. (5014, 5107)

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Klickitat County Auditor’s Office will be holding a public ceremony for newly elected officials to take their Oath of Office on December 31, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony will be held in the Klickitat County East District Court Room located on the ground floor of the Courthouse in Goldendale. A reception will be held in the Courthouse Conference Room on the ground floor of the Courthouse following the ceremony. For more information, please call (509) 773-4001. (5108)

KLICKITAT COUNTY

DETERMINATION OF NONSIGNIFICANCE Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance

DATE OF ISSUANCE: December 12, 2024

APPLICANT: Klickitat County Planning Department

File Number: SEPA 2024-30

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Klickitat County Participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and is updating the current Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance. This non-project action will amend Klickitat County Code Title 21 Flood Management and adopt the newly released Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).

The special flood hazard areas identified by the Federal Insurance Administration in a scientific and engineering report entitled “The Flood Insurance Study Klickitat County, Washington and Incorporated Areas,” dated February 14, 2025, and any revisions thereto, with accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) dated February 14, 2025, and any revisions thereto, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this ordinance. The FIS and the FIRM are on file at the Klickitat County Planning Department in Goldendale, Washington. Threshold Determination: Determination of NonSignificance (DNS) After review of the completed environmental checklists and other information on file the Klickitat County Responsible Official has determined that the proposal does not have a probable significant impact of the environment. An environ-

mental impact statement (EIS) is not required under RCW 4321C.030(2)(c). Material on the SEPA Checklist and draft Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance can be obtained on the Planning Department website https://www. klickitatcounty.org/272/Planning-Department or through email at planning2@klickitatcounty.org or in person at the Klickitat County Planning Department, 115 W Court St, Room 302, Goldendale, WA 98620.

COMMENT PERIOD: Comments on the above environmental review will be accepted until 5:00 pm January 3, 2025. The comments can be emailed to planning2@ klickitatcounty.org or mailed to 115 W Court St, #302, Goldendale, WA 98620 or dropped off at 115 W Court St, Room 301, Goldendale, WA 98620. ADMINISTRATIVE SEPA APPEAL PERIOD: Appeals on the DNS will be accepted until 5pm on January 9, 2025. Appeals must be made to the Board and filed with the Klickitat County Auditor’s office. Appeals shall not be deemed complete without payment of the applicable appeal fees payable to Klickitat County Planning Department. COMMENTS ON THE FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION ORDINANCE: Written comments will be accepted until the time of a public hearing before the Klickitat County Planning Commission scheduled for January 21, 2025 at 6pm. Oral comments via in person or zoom will be accepted at the public hearing. A Notice of Public Hearing will be published in the Goldendale Sentinel and will be posted on the county’s website. (5109)

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF The FINAL environmental impact statement (FEIS) and Adoption Notice For BLUEBIRD SOLAR PROJECT EOZ2021-01 AND SEP2021-17

Date of issuance:

December 18, 2024 purpose of this notice: The purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Bluebird Solar Project (Project) is being released for public review. proponent: Bluebird Solar Power, LLC (Applicant), a wholly owned subsidiary of Avangrid Renewables, Inc. project description:

• The Project is to develop a 100-megawatt (MW) solar energy facility about 26 miles east of Goldendale, and about 12 miles north of State Highway 14. No onsite battery energy storage system is proposed.

• The Project area consists of approximately 1,871 acres of private and state lands located within a 4,513-acre “solar facility siting area” within the Energy Overlay Zone (EOZ).

• The applicant is considering various layouts within a larger “Solar Facility Siting Area” containing approximately 1,638 acres. The Solar Facility Siting Area would overlap with portions of the Big Horn Wind Facility. The fenced area is comprised of approximately 670 acres and would include solar modules, inverters, I-beam steel posts, fencing, 20-ft wide gravel roads, collector lines and a collector substation located across Big Horn Road from the Big Horn gen-tie line.

• The proposed Project would consist of the following components:

• The solar modules use crystalline cells to generate electricity by converting sunlight into direct current electrical energy. The project would utilize solar modules connected in series to form long rows. The rows of modules would then be connected together via combiners, cables, and switchboards. The configuration of multiple rows can vary depending on the equipment type and topography.

• Strings of solar modules would be mounted on singleaxis tracker systems that optimize electricity production by rotating the solar modules to follow the path of the sun throughout the day. As the solar modules turn throughout the day, the height of their top edges will shift accordingly. The solar modules would

have a maximum height of 14 feet when rotated to their full extent. Each tracker would be supported by multiple steel posts, which could be round hollow posts or piletype posts. The steel posts would be installed by drilling 6” holes into shallow bedrock (surface to 3 feet of soil) and driving posts into the bedrock holes.

• Low voltage cabling would connect the solar modules of each tracker string in series and combine multiple strings to a single combiner box. Cabling from multiple combiner boxes would connect to a single inverter, which would convert the direct current to alternating current and connect to the above ground or buried collection system.

• The project would utilize either the current Big Horn operation and maintenance (O&M) building, or a new 5,000-square-foot O&M building within the siting area.

A 5-acre collector substation power transformer will be installed to step up the voltage from 34.5 kV to 230 kV for transmission.

• The project would use existing roads to the extent practicable. New access roads would be constructed in accordance with the Klickitat County Code Title 12 standards.

• An 8-feet chain link perimeter fence would enclose the solar energy generation facility.

• The project would be connected to the existing Big Horn Wind Farm 230-kV GenTie line, which runs on the east side of Big Horn Road. The Big Horn gen-tie line connects to the larger energy grid via BPA’s Spring Creek switchyard located northwest of the Project.

LOCATION OF PROPOSAL:

The Project area is located approximately 26 miles east of Goldendale, Washington, about 12 miles north of State Highway 14. The Solar Facility Siting Area would overlap with portions of the Big Horn wind facility. The project is located within Sections 9, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21 and 22, Township 5 North, Range 20 East, WM, Klickitat County, Washington.

c lassifieds

Final Environmental impact statement

The final EIS includes a number of updates and revisions made to the Draft EIS and Revised Draft EIS, including corrections, project modifications, and revised text in response to comments received regarding the Project and the Draft and Revised Draft EIS.

ADOPTION AND INCOR-

PORATION OF EXISTING

ENVIRONMENTAL DOCU-

MENT

The Klickitat County Energy Overlay FEIS (Sept. 2004) is adopted as part of this FEIS, as explained in the notice of adoption issued with this notice.

AVAILABILITY OF FEIS

COPIES (Including EIS’s Adopted and Incorporated by Reference): Copies can be reviewed or obtained at the Klickitat County Planning Department at the address below. The Final EIS is also available online at https://klickitatcounty. org/1096/Solar-Projects. Klickitat County Planning De-

partment 115 West Court Street, Room 301

Goldendale, WA Appeal:

Any appeals of this decision must be filed under the County SEPA ordinance’s provision for appeals of an EIS. Any appeal is therefore due no later than twenty-one days from the date of final EIS issuance. Appeals shall be in writing and filed with the County Auditor. Appeals shall state with specificity the basis for the appeal and the errors to be asserted to the Board. Appeals shall not be deemed complete without payment of the appeal fee applicable to Class C projects, payable to the Klickitat County Planning Department. APPEAL PERIOD ENDS: Appeal of the FEIS may be filed until January 8, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. (5110)

PUBLIC NOTICE

KLICKITAT COUNTY is in the process of updating its’ Small Works Roster (SWR)

for 2025. Only contractors that fill out the County’s SWR application can be added to the roster. Contractors/Vendors that are on the SWR will be eligible to bid on county projects. Categories of work include road and building construction, snow removal, renovation, remodeling, alteration, repair, or improvement of real property.

Contractors licensed in the State of Washington who are qualified to perform any of the above listed categories and wish to be included please call 1-800-583-8074 or (509) 773-4616 for an application. Applications are also available on our web site at https:// klickitatcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/15217/SmallWorks-Application-2025 (5111, 5102)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET

The Klickitat County Board of Commissioners will meet December 31, 2024 at 10:00am. Please join the meeting at the Klickitat County Services

Building in the Chambers of the Board of County Commissioners, or virtually via zoom, meeting ID 586587651. They will hold a Public Hearing and consider amendments to the 2024 budget as summarized below. Information concerning these changes may be obtained at the Commissioners Office, 115 W Court St. Rm 201, by calling 509.773.2331, or viewing this notice and supporting detail on the Klickitat County website at Board of County Commissioners Agenda page or the Fiscal Services department page. Written comment will be accepted via email to bocc@klickitatcounty.org or in the Commissioner’s office on or before December 31, 2024 at 10:00am, with the subject line: 2024-4 BUDGET AMENDMENT. Board of County Commissioners, Lori Zoller, Chairman Department | Office: Public Health Fund: 137 Public Health Change: 200,000 (5112, 5203)

0161

MASSAGE TABLE, like new $100 50-261-1021 leave a message ANTIQUE CHURCH PEW $150 509-261-1021 leave a message ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR Golden Compass Sport. New Batteries in 2023. In good condition $400 cash. Pick up near hospital in Goldendale 509-773-5362

SOLID WOOD TABLE with leaf extensions, in excellent condition, comes with 6 captain’s chairs with some minor dings. $250 OBO 509-2503373

WOOD HUTCH with mirrors and glass shelves $100 OBO 509-250-3373

WEDDING RING set, 14 carat gold sizes 5 ¾ women, 10 ½ men’s $750 for both509-250-3373

RIMS 4 stock 16” rims, fits a Ford or? $150 509-342-6923

MOP BUCKET industrial sized mop and bucket FREE 509-773-4286

CAMPER JACKS $50 509773-4286

TABLE PAD round, new in box, mahogany color, beautiful, never used. Paid over $200, asking only $140 509261-2038

TRACE SW SERIES INVERTER/chargers with revision 4.01 software by XANTREX SW2024 $500 509-773-3636

2 pairs Water Skis (Connelly advantage and Connelly Flex 250), 1 small life vest 12”, 2 adult life vests plus 2 additional $100 takes it all. 509-773-4286

BED FRAME older twin bed frame mattress is in good condition $50 509-773-4758 TABLE Oak table and chairs in good condition $50 509773-4758

TAILGATE for a 2010 Ford F350 $250 obo 509-3653463 1966 CADILLAC owner’s manual – make an offer 509365-3463

TRACE SW series inverter/ chargers with revision 4.01 software by XANTREX SW2024 $500 509-7733636 4 stock Polaris tires on 12” rims – 2 are 26x9, 2 are 26x8. 300 miles on them, all for $200 509-261-0713

Announcements & Notices

ATTENTION READERS: Readers respond to ads at their own risk. If in doubt about a particular offer, check with the Better Business Protection Agency @ 503-3784320

struggle. We have an amazing political system, a Great Republic, founded upon a historic constitution. But our system is broken. Career politicians and the hidden hand of dark monies have led to craven, power hungry officials beholden to special interests. Join our movement. We are committed to electing 535 new members of congress in 2028. These new members will be committed to term/age limits and campaign finance reform. Join us at www.theunincumbents.org

Classified Deadlines: MONDAY 9AM Mid-Week Editions: Loans IT’S ILLEGAL for companies doing business by phone to promise you a loan and ask you to pay for it before they deliver.

A public service message from the Federal Trade Commission and the Hood River News, The Dalles Chronicle and the White Salmon Enterprise.

Support Groups Alcoholicos Anonimos Reuniones Jueves 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm St. Paul Episcopal Church 1805 Minnesota St. The Dalles, OR 97058

NARCOTICS Anonymous: Goldendale United Methodist Church, 109 E Broadway, Thursdays @ 7pm.

STROKE SURVIVORS

SUPPORT GROUP Oregon Veterans Home 700 Veteran Drive The Dalles 3rd Thursday of the month 1:30pm-3pm Questions, 541-296-7441

TOPS OR #443 meets Thursday mornings, 8:30- 10 am. @ Zion Lutheran Church, use elevator entrance only. 10th and Union St., The Dalles, OR. 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 For more info. call 541-386-2812

RIVERVIEW Al-Anon Family Group in The Dalles: Episcopal Church of St. Paul, 1805 Minnesota, Taylor Hall. Meets every Thursday, 12:30-1:30pm. This meeting is free and open to anyone in the community who is interested in attending. RECOVERING COUPLES ANONYMOUS Meets 2nd & 4th Sundays at 10am. 216 Cascade St., Suite 26

ily members of persons with mental illness.

Monthly NAMI Gorge inperson meetings are being conducted the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 7:30pm at the Gloria Center at 2505 W. 7th Street, The Dalles. For information on local NAMI Resources, please contact Barbara Telfer: at 541-980-7264 or by email: booklovinbarbarian@ gmail.com.

For other NAMI information or resources: NAMI Oregon Support Line 1-800-343-6264.

AA in WAMIC (open): Tuesdays @ 7pm, NEW LOCATION! Molly B’s @ 57740 Main St., Tygh Valley, Oregon.

TOPS - Taking Off Pounds Sensibly meets upstairs at Columbia Bank in White Salmon at 10am on Tuesdays. Join us at 90 NE Tohomish St., White Salmon, WA 98672. No meetings during severe weather. 541980-0251.

NA MEETINGS

Every Wednesday. 6:30 - 7:30 at the Casa Guadalupe House, 1603 Belmont, Hood River, Oregon.

Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group

Meets via Zoom the second Tuesday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Support group participants have all lost someone to suicide and strive to help each other with their grief journeys and advocacy for suicide prevention. Contact Belinda at 541-386-2500 x1 or belinda.ballah@co.hood-river. or.us to be provided the link for next Zoom meeting.

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.

YOUNG Parents Support Group: ages 15-21, Tuesdays @ 7pm, call Tess @ 541-298-5104.

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

24 HOUR AA HOTLINE and meeting information: District 14. 1-833-423-3683

MAC Lung Disease Support Group: for details, please call 541-483-2253 or 541805-5068.

DEMENTIA Support Group

every 2nd Monday of the month at the Oregon Veterans Home, 10:30am - 11:30am 541-296-7190 for info.

PARKINSON’S Support Group: 1st Thursday of every month, 10:45am11:45am in the Deschutes Room at Waters Edge, 551 Lone Pine Blvd., 2nd Floor. For more information, please contact Chad @ 541340-0142.

AL ANON FAMILY GROUPS

(Support for family and

Under NAMI

Eugene Hood River

GRIEF SUPPORT

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

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS meetings please go to gorgeaa.org.

AA in MAUPIN (open), Maupin Community Church, 490 5th St., Thursdays @ 7pm.

AL-ANON in The Dalles: The Dalles Serenity meeting every Monday at 7pm @ Gateway Presbyterian Church, 1111 Dry Hollow. For more info, call 541-296-2677.

Volunteers

MENTORS WANTED

Would you enjoy building a meaningful friendship with a 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.

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 1996 SKIDOO Summit 670 for parts. Free. 541-9939030.

$500 OR LESS Ads run 1 Week FREE! • Private Party Only • No Commercial Ads • Items $500 or less • 5 Lines Free • Includes print & online Excludes: Food, produce, hay, animals, firewood, fuel, automobiles and garage sales.

TREADMILL. Weslo Cadence R 5.2. Manual Incline, 16” x 51” tread, 2.25hp, up to 10 MPH. Seldom used. $125. 541-370-2473. WADERS. Hunting waterfowl waders. Shell holders,

by Caddis.

for $175. Call/text 541-490-6113, preferably between 8am-6pm. WOOD Stove & Pipe. $300. 541-386-3602. BING and Grondahl’s Danish Christmas Plates, 197079. No chips, excellent condition. $100 for set of 10. 541-490-7254. Carson. CHINA

SNOWSHOES. Tubbs Adventure 25 snowshoes. $45. 541-490-7254.

is Calendar of Events listing is FREE! Email your event to events@goldendalesentinel. com or call 509-773-3777. Are you in need of an eyecatching display ad to highlight your event? Email us at ads@ goldendalesentinel.com. Our friendly, helpful staff would love to help you nd an advertising package that works for your needs and ts your budget! We o er online ads as well— with roughly 18,000 unique hits on our website each month, this is a great way to reach even more people.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Community Events

December 21, 2024, Christmas Popup Bazaar: 4 - 6 p.m. at the Town House Cafe in Goldendale, 1040 E Broadway. Join us for a cozy gathering of small town charm with unique local cra s, handmade goodies, and delicious treats!. A festive way to wrap up your holiday shopping.

December 21, 2024, Full Circle Winter Solstice Wave Ritual: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m at the Rooted Center Studio at Moon Mountain Highway, 113 W Stuen in Bingen. At this point in the year when the night is so long and so dark, we will gather to complete a cycle and begin anew. I would love to share this evening with you on the Solstice. Come to be together, to dance a wave, to move through a ritual of bringing attention to the ways the past year has shaped you, to acknowledge and celebrate your full circle. Cost ~ $20 please preregister here https://app. tli. com/.../5rhythms-in-the-gorge/ schedule...

December 21, 2024, 80s vs 90s Video Dance Attack Holiday Party: Doors open at 6, show starts at 7 p.m. at the Trout Lake Hall, 15 Guller Rd. VIDEO DANCE ATTACK. Come celebrate the holidays with Portland’s longest-running video dance party! We’ll be spinning classic holiday videos along with your favorite music videos from the ‘80s and ‘90s on the big screens. Put on your ugly sweater or Santa hat and close out 2024 with us! Hosted by VJ Kittyrox! $12 Advance // $15 Day Of Show December 22, 2024, Pancake Breakfast with Santa! 10

December 19, 2024, Open House at the Chamber: 2 - 6 p.m. at Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce903 E. Broadway St. Looking for a fun way to connect with your community? inking about joining the Chamber? Come and check out our Open House event! Join us for an a ernoon lled with refreshments, friendly faces, and special o ers designed just for you. Explore the local artistry at our gallery, where you can enjoy exclusive discounts on select art pieces that capture the spirit of Klickitat County. Whether you’re an art a cionado or just beginning to explore your artistic taste, this is a perfect opportunity to nd something unique for your home or as a gi . But that’s not all! If you’re considering becoming a member of our vibrant Chamber, we have a special o er just for you: enjoy $20 o your rst year of membership. Discover the multitude of bene ts that come with joining us, from networking opportunities to resources that support your business growth.

C LASSIFIEDS

NOTICE Certain laws and restrictions, as well as registration requirements, apply to the sale of ﬁrearms. For more information, contact the Seattle Field Division of the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms at 206204-3205. This ﬁeld division is responsible for Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii. You may also go to www.atf.gov for FAQs and information. SNOWSHOES. Tubbs Adventure 25 snowshoes. $45. 541-490-7254. Carson.

TREADMILL. Weslo Cadence R 5.2. Manual Incline, 16” x 51” tread, 2.25hp, up to 10 MPH. Seldom used. $125. 541-370-2473.

Cats

ADULT CAT COMPANIONS FREE TO GOOD HOMES Call Elizabeth at 541-386-5099

Garage/Yard Sales Advertise Your Garage Sale Up to 10 lines Print and Online $25 Prepaid To place your ad contact your local newspaper. Hood River News 541-386-1234 hoodrivernews.com Click Classifieds The Dalles Chronicle 541-296-2141 thedalleschronicle.com Click Classifieds White Salmon Enterprise 509-493-2112 whitesalmonenterprise.com Click Classifieds

Cars

SELL your automobile quickly in our Gorge Classiﬁeds. Place your ad through one of our websites or call one of our newspapers: hoodrivernews.com 541-386-1234 thedalleschronicle.com 541-296-2141 whitesalmonenterprise. com 509-493-2112

SIMCOE AUTO AUCTION

Thursday, December 19th

a.m.

- 1 p.m. at the Goldendale Golf Club on North Columbus. Did you miss an opportunity to see Santa this year? Come and enjoy a wonderful breakfast with Santa! Hosted by Euphrosynos Cafe & Co ee and the Goldendale Golf Club. Adult Breakfast $10. Childrens Breakfast $5. Free Photo opportunity with Santa, Mrs Claus, and possibily some other surprise guests! Please invite your friends and RSVP.

December 22, 2024, Sparkle and Sprinkle! FREE! 4 p.m. at the Trout Lake Hall, 15 Guller Rd. All Ages. Sparkle & Sprinkle: Cookie Decorating, Holiday Sweaters and Elf. Join us for a festive evening of creativity and cheer at our Sparkle & Sprinkle event! Get ready to unleash your inner cookie artist as we dive into a fun- lled cookie decorating session. Bring your holiday spirit by donning your favorite holiday sweater, and get ready to enjoy some delicious treats! e classic holiday movie “Elf” will be on the big screen.

December 26, 2024, Last ursday’s Laughs: 7 p.m. at the Tarwater Tavern 130 E Jewett in White Salmon. Hour long comedy experience. Don’t miss this fun. $10. 7:00. 21+

January 1, 2025, New Year’s Day Polar Plunge: 10 a.m. sharp at the Maryhill State Park. Come start the year off right with a cool refreshing plunge in the Columbia River! Join the Central Klickitat County Park & Recreation District along with Washington State Parks for our Annual Polar Plunge. You can register online at https://centralklickitatparksandrecreation. com/ or just show up and register that morning. Just don’t be late, the plunge is over within a

hoodrivernews.com or whitesalmonenterprise. com or thedalleschronicle.com Click on “Classiﬁeds” Click on “Place An Ad” SIMCOE AUTO AUCTION Tuesday, December 17th 91610 Biggs-Rufus Hwy. Wasco, OR 97065 Viewing starts at 10am Auction 11am-12pm 509-314-0084

PAYING TOP DOLLAR for SPORTS CAR & POKEMON COLLECTIONS

Premium paid for vintage pre-1980. Leave detailed message & number. 541-838-0364

Travel Trailers 2001 26’ PROWLER TRAVEL TRAILER $1,500 541-490-4501 Snowmobiles 1996 SKIDOO Summit 670 for parts. Free. 541-9939030. Apartments for Rent CYPRESS HILLS RIVERVIEW TERRACE We have 2 bedroom apartments available Price is $1,183 to $1,245 May have subsidies available 24 NW Clark Street Cascade Locks, OR 97014 Ofﬁce number is 541-3702332 Fax is 541-370-2331

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertiser any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sec, handicap, familial state or national origin, or an intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discriminations. Familial state includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women & people securing custody of children under 19.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any adverting for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800669-9777, TTY/TDD: 1-800927-9275.

minute! Questions, text 509 250 0981!

$25

8am-6pm.

LOVELY Stevenson Home. Luxurious day basement for rent! $1,400. Beautiful home to share located in the heart of Stevenson, Wa. Huge

space, all private - entry, living, dining, gorgeous bathroom, large bedroom, fully furnished, w/ kitchenette, & shared laundry huge yard. Climate controlled. Text Trish at 504-418-9512. Help Wanted COLUMBIA GORGE NEW IS HIRING AN OUTSIDE MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE Outside Marketing Representative: Columbia Gorge News is hiring a marketing advisor to service businesses in the area. This position is outside sales for the weekly newspaper in print and online plus niche publications. You must live in the Columbia River Gorge to perform this job. If you are outgoing and like to talk through ideas, this position is for you. The candidate will work from both home and the office. They will need reliable internet, computer, and a smart phone. A vehicle and valid driver’s license with insurance is a must. The candidate will work one on one with small businesses in our community to help them find ways to effectively market their business. The sales position will allow the person hired to work their own schedule to fit the needs of the customers. Weekly sales meetings and trainings required. Must have the ability to multi-task and be selfmotivated. The ability to handle basic excel or word documents, perform math calculations and the willingness to communicate well with customers in person and over the phone are needed. Sales experience a plus but will train the right candidate. This position is mainly MonFri but is somewhat flexible with part-time or full-time hours. Hourly, mileage, plus commissions. Email resume and references to: ChelseaM@GorgeNews. com Columbia Gorge News P.O. Box 390, Hood River, OR 97031. If you have questions, leave a message: 541386-1234 Ext. 100.

LOOKING for a new job? Browse employment ads from throughout the Gorge on our classiﬁed websites: thedalleschronicle.com hoodrivernews.com whitesalmonenterprise. com THE TICKET to a dream job might be a scam. Please be cautious! High-Paying Postal Jobs! No Experience Required! Don’t pay for information about jobs with the Postal Service or Federal Government. Call the Federal Trade Commission toll free @

1-877-FTC-HELP, or visit www.ftc.gov to learn more. A public service message from Teh Dalles Chronicle and the FTC.

MENTAL HEALTH

CLINICIAN

NORCOR Corrections is seeking to fill the position of Mental Health Clinician. This position is full time with great benefits. Criminal record may disqualify. Must have drivers license, pass background, drug, physical and other testing as indicated by the position. Per OHA mandate, COVID vaccination required. Application & full job description available at https://www.norcor.co/ adult/jobs/ or @ NORCOR Admin. Office 201 Webber Street, The Dalles. Open until filled. 541-298-1576.

NOW HIRING

FOSTER PARENTS!

The Next Door, Inc. (TNDI) is hiring full-time foster parents to work with youth, ages 6-18. Applicants must live in Hood River or Wasco Counties. TNDI provides 24-hour support, free training, paid days-off and up to $1800 tax-free/month, for each youth. Bonus also offered for completion of certiﬁcation! Contact 541308-2207 or visit www.nextdoorinc.org/fosterparent to apply.

DISTRICT MANAGER

Hood River SWCD District Manager with the Hood River Soil & Water Conservation District! Visit https://hoodriverswcd.org for more information. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three references via email to Board@hoodriverswcd.org. Questions can be directed to the Board@ hoodriverswcd.org email. Opening Date: November 26, 2024 Close Date: open until filled Proposed Start Date: Between January 1, 2024 – February 1, 2025. Part-Time Advance Funeral Planner Opportunity Earn competitive income and enjoy the flexibility of setting your own schedule! Precoa provides qualified leads, appointment setting, and strategic marketing at no cost! Represent a trusted funeral home and make a valuable impact in your community! What you need: Strong sales skills, the ability to close pre-set appointments and a life insurance license or willingness to obtain one. Join a recession-proof profession where you’ll make a meaningful impact! Learn more at bit.ly/ AndersonsAFP or call Lori Kay, Sr. Talent Recruiter at 503-704-2682.

DEPENDABLE CAREGIVERS Needed to assist adults w/ developmental disabilities. No experience needed. Full

Time with beneﬁts. Paid training. $19.00 per hour plus $1,000 sign-on bonus. andyb@forcci.org

HOOD RIVER COUNTY IS HIRING: Road Technician Visit: www.hoodrivercounty.gov Services; Employment Air Conditioning & Heating NOTICE Oregon Construction Contractors Law (ORS 701) requires that all businesses that advertise remodeling, repair, home improvements or new construction be registered with the Construction Contractors Board. Registration means contractors have a bond and insurance. Home inspection businesses also must be certified which means the inspector has passed a test and must comply with standard of practice and behavior. For your protection, call 503-378-4621, ext. 4900 to check an inspector’s certification. Notice to Contractors Washington State Law (RCW 18.27.100) requires that all advertisements for construction-related services include the contractor’s current Department of Labor and Industries registration number in the advertisement. Failure to obtain a certificate of registration from L & I or show the registration number in all advertising will result in a fine up to $5000 against the unregistered contractor. For more information, call Labor & Industries Specialty Compliance Services at 1-800-647-0982 or check L & I’s Internet site at www. wa.gov

Business & Service Directory 4 Weeks Up to 10 Lines Print and Online Only $45 $5 per additional line. Contact your local newspaper or place your ad online using our fact and easy online entry system. hoodrivernews.com 541-386-1234 thedallechronicle.com 541-296-2141 whitesalmonenterprise. com 509-493-2112

Care Providers

THE WEANS CHILDCARE

Check It Out

Beth Wood, Collection Librarian Fort Vancouver Regional Library District

You can email Beth at readingforfun@fvrl.org

appear to be a single term for this type of cozy, Japanese ction, but several sources described them as “sliceof-life” novels: novels that show everyday events in a person’s ordinary life. Here are some other examples of this style of Japanese ction:

• “The Nakano Thrift Shop” by Hiromi Kawakami (2016)

- accepting others includes accepting their secrets and idiosyncrasies in this playful novel.

• “The Travelling Cat Chronicles” by Hiro Arikawa (2017) - a story about courage, gratitude, and a man and his cat on a road trip across Japan in a silver van.

• “We’ll Prescribe You a Cat” by Ishida Syou (2024) - people struggling with their lives can nd this unique clinic that prescribes cats as medication. And:

• “We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat” (coming 2025)

• “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (2019) - a magical realism story about a cafe that allows certain visitors to travel back in time, but only for as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold. There are four other books in this series:

• “Tales from the Cafe” (2020)

• “Before Your Memory Fades” (2022)

• “Before We Say Goodbye” (2023)

• “Before We Forget Kindness” (2024)

• “The Kamogawa Food Detectives” by Hisashi Kashiwai (2024) - what’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?: a father-daughter duo use their sleuthing skills to recreate that dish for you. There are two other books in this series:

• “The Restaurant of Lost Recipes” (2024)

• “The Menu of Happiness” (coming 2025)

• “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” by Satoshi Yagisawa (2023) - family, new beginnings, and the power of books are central themes in this series about a secondhand bookstore.

Two sequels:

• “More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” (2024)

• “With Love from the Morisaki Bookshop” (coming 2025)

And, to bring it back full circle, Michiko Aoyama has a second book coming out in 2025—“The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park.” Snuggle in, and read something that makes you feel warm and toasty inside!

Beth Wood is a senior collection development librarian for Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries. Email her at readingforfun@fvrl.org.

New at the Library

FICTION

“The Unwedding” by Allyson Condie

“Wild Houses” by Colin Barrett

“The Parlor Game” by Ashtyn Newbold

NONFICTION

“The White Ladder: Triumph and Tragedy at the Dawn of Mountaineering” by Daniel Light

“Good Energy: The Surprising Connection between Metabolism and Limitless Health” by Casey Means

“Mini

(Family Features) Many people would agree the holidays are one of the happiest times of the year –but also one of the most stressful. Replace the stress with smiles by cooking easy, delicious dinners that can help make the season a breeze and bring a little holiday happiness to mealtime.

Spend less time in the kitchen and more time with family by turning to easy-to-prepare potato recipes that can make the whole family happy.

For example, when you’re busy trying to cook multiple things at once, free up precious oven real estate while saving time with these Herby Holiday Air Fryer Little Potatoes. For a busy weeknight during the holiday season, potato dishes like this one can be made in an air fryer and customized with a few of your favorite pantry staples. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, dried will do the trick.

This recipe and many others can be streamlined with Little Potatoes, which come pre-washed, are small enough they don’t need to be cut and are a fresh, whole food grown on family farms so you can feel good about serving them to your loved ones.

Remember, easy can still be fabulous and festive. This Warm Winter Potato Salad with Cranberries offers the best of both worlds as it comes together in around 7 minutes with seasonal pops of red and green. This family-friendly side features A Little Roasted Garlic, Rosemary & Thyme Microwave Ready Little Potatoes that simply need to be steamed in the microwave for

5 minutes then tossed with the included seasoning pack – no boiling or peeling required. It’s truly a holiday shortcut, and you can make the recipe even easier by using storebought honey mustard vinaigrette if you’re short on time to make it from scratch. Visit littlepotatoes.com to find more ways to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with family. Herby Holiday Air Fryer Little Potatoes

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes

Servings: 6 • 1 1/2 pounds Little Potatoes

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter salt, to taste pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons fresh or dried herbs, such as parsley, rosemary, sage or oregano, chopped In large bowl, toss potatoes with oil or melted butter. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Place in air fryer basket. Air fry potatoes at 390 F for 25 minutes. Once air-fried, sprinkle potatoes with herbs and serve.

Warm Winter Potato Salad with Cranberries

Prep time: 2-5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes

Servings: 4 • 1 package A Little Roasted Garlic, Rosemary & Thyme Microwave Ready Little Potatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup salt, to taste pepper, to taste

1/4

1 small apple, thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or other nuts (optional) fresh parsley (optional) green onions (optional)

Prepare potatoes according to package instructions, about 5 minutes, tossing with olive oil and included seasoning pack once cooked.

In small bowl, whisk Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar and honey or maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

In large bowl, toss warm potatoes with cranberries, thinly sliced apple and walnuts, if using.

Drizzle mustard dressing over top and gently mix until well-coated. Top with fresh parsley or green onions, if desired, for pop of color. Serve warm.

Tips: If you like more texture, toast walnuts for extra crunch. For added creaminess, mix 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt or mayonnaise into dressing. To save time or reduce ingredients needed, use storebought honey mustard vinaigrette.

I will be home in time for Christmas. It’s always a little hard to leave Mexico, and leaving right before the holidays is perhaps the hardest. The giant Christmas tree just went up in front of the church last night.

Thousands of handmade tin stars hang over the streets, embedded with colored glass beads and lit from within. The poinsettias (or “nochebuenas”) decorate the windowsills. There is a concert every night of the week. It is hard to leave, in the middle of all this celebration, to return to our own Christmas up north, where the weather is so very different.

But I don’t really mind because I’ll be home, just in time for Christmas.

There’s a reason there are so many songs about going home for Christmas. Many of them are from decades past, in the heyday of movie musicals. I imagine it must have been a challenge for songwriters, sitting around a swimming pool in Los Angeles, penning lyrics about snow falling and sleigh bells ringing and Christmas trees.

One of my favorite holiday songs is about Christmas in Australia, where going home for Christmas means arriving at the hottest time of year, with family sitting outside drinking “white wine in the sun.” People write about being especially determined to get home at Christmas and especially lonely if they don’t make it home.

I know there are plenty of people who don’t go anywhere at Christmas and have given up the whole idea of what the holiday season is supposed to look like in favor of a more relaxed and peaceful time, with fewer expectations and obligations. I can understand that as well.

But I’ll be home in time for Christmas.

I am fortunate because I actually enjoy all the holiday cliches. I love baking cookies every year with my sister and wrapping packages and setting the table for more people than it can comfortably hold. I love the falling snow and the ringing of sleigh bells and—most of all—the Christmas trees.

My first official act of the Christmas season will be to hurry down to the local hardware store to get my Christmas tree from the lot out front. I will walk there with my cart, and I will worry all the way to the store that I am too late. I will imagine the tree lot empty except for a few broken branches lying in the trampled snow.

“Sorry! Just sold our last tree 30 minutes ago,” the man in the insulated overalls will tell me, and I will stand there in the snow with my little cart and my bungee cords and wonder where I will find a Christmas tree at this late date.

But this will not happen.

Instead, I will pick out a tree, all wrapped up in twine, and I won’t even untie it. I will judge by its appearance—all tied up—that it will be the perfect tree.

The man in the lot will help me strap it into my cart, and I’ll wheel it home. A few people will stare at the woman hauling her tree in a cart, but I won’t mind. And when I get home, I’ll put my tree in the stand and cut the twine cords binding it, and ever so slowly, the cold tree will unfurl. In the morning, I’ll get out of bed, and it will be as if a miracle has taken place in my living room.

The perfect Christmas tree will be there, waiting for me, and I’ll be home—just in time for Christmas.

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Just in Time

Christmas is celebrated all around the world. It is a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Most Christian religions celebrate this day on December 25th. Christianity is celebrated in most countries around the world. The season is filled with traditions such as decorating trees, eating certain food, colorful light displays and exchanging gifts. Traditions can be specific to what part of the world you live in and can be traced back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Let’s see if you celebrate like anyone else.

Christmas Traditions Around the World!

In Germany, Christmas celebrations start on the eve of December 6th. On December 5th, children all over Germany set their shoes outside or in front of a fireplace. This is in hopes that St. Nicholas will leave candy and small gifts in their shoes. I’m not sure I want to eat candy stuffed into my smelly shoe! German settlers in Pennsylvania brought the tradition to the United States. Germany is also credited for the Christmas tradition of decorating a tree. One tradition in Germany is about a demon named Krampus who may come to visit children who have been naughty. Krampus takes the naughty list to a whole new level. This tradition is mostly celebrated in the southern part of Germany known as Bavaria where they hold festivals for the grumpy twin to the kind and generous St. Nick.

2,100 years ago the tradition of Santa Claus began with St. Nicholas who, as a Catholic Bishop, was very good to children. He also helped people who were poor. As with most stories that are passed down through generations, the story changed with the different cultures. He is now known as Santa Claus, Pere Noel, Sinterklaas, Kris Kringle, and many more. Although he is known by many names around the world he is still the generous, joyful, gift giver that he was in the beginning.

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Would you believe there is a country where the traditional Christmas food is not turkey but Kentucky Fried Chicken? Yup! KFC has become so popular in Japan, that your Christmas bucket has to be ordered months in advance. Christmas is not celebrated as much in Japan as other places but it is becoming more popular.

Mexico began celebrating Christmas when the Spaniards brought Christianity to the area more than 500 years ago. One tradition brought to the New World was Las Posadas. This tradition has members of the community parade through the streets. One couple in the parade represents Mary and Joseph looking for a safe place for a baby to be born. Traditional Christmas foods in Mexico include tamales, pozole and bunuelos. Did you know the red and green plant called a poinsettia comes from Mexico? Point your phone at this code to visit our website and watch videos about Christmas Traditions from all over the world! Parents and teachers! Scan this to find teaching materials about Christmas traditions!

Why is Santa afraid of getting stuck in a chimney? He’s Claus-trophobic Hoodies! Help Santa find your house! Next week, we’re gonna’ bake some cookies! It’ s this way!