Goldendale Sentinel February 5, 2025 by Goldendale Sentinel

HEADLINES & HISTORY SINCE

Amateur radio for fun and public service

JORDAN MAYBERRY FOR THE SENTINEL

PROTECTOR: Cassandra

The wildlife whisperer: keeping watch on county critters

ZACHARY VILLAR FOR THE SENTINEL

Klickitat County is home to a great variety of wildlife intimately connected to county citizens. We see deer in our yards and eagles in our trees. We guard our livestock from bears and coyotes, and we make signs telling drivers to slow down for turkeys and quail. Several of our towns bear the names of regional fish. We may take our wildlife for granted as we go about our days, but there are people here whose job it is to help make sure wildlife survives, thrives, and sticks around for all of us to enjoy.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) employs many people throughout Klickitat County helping protect fish and wildlife. They monitor hunting to make sure hunters years from now will continue to hunt. They study animal populations and figure out what’s causing them to fluctuate or stay steady. They work behind desks as well as in the field, whether in community forests or conservation areas or along the shores of the mighty Columbia River.

Cassandra Holman works for the WDFW as the Klickitat Wildlife Area manager, taking the position in July 2024. The Klickitat Wildlife Area is located on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains about halfway between the Columbia River Gorge to the south and Mt. Adams to the north. It spans approximately 27,800 acres and is home and habitat to many animals, including blacktailed deer, Western gray squirrel, Vaux’s swift (a small bird),

and steel head trout. Her job is to manage the forests, weeds, and native plants the habitat contains by measures such as habitat improvement projects to help maintain a healthy ecosystem for critters.

With nearly 30,000 acres under her sole management, Holman has plenty to keep her occupied. But she said that at the moment, one of her concerns is the oak tree. She explained that maintenance of the oak was one of the main reasons the Klickitat Wildlife Area was purchased by the state back in the 1940s. According to the Klickitat Wildlife Area Management Plan published in 2016, the region features some of Washington’s best examples of Oregon white oak habitats where local deer dwell during summer. Holman says the biggest issues for oak are lack of fire and conifer encroachment.

“We used to have these stand replacement fires that would come through, and they would create meadows. Over time, we’ve taken out the fire regimen.” Without as many natural fires to clear out other vegetation and create meadows for the oak to flourish, it now has to compete with more vigorous plants like the conifer.

“Conifer will outcompete grassland, and it will outcompete oak,” Holman states. “It’s kind of a constant battle if you’re not introducing fire to the landscape.”

As manager, Holman takes into consideration recommendations from different departments and experts and decides what action to take. In the case of the oak, the WDFW thinned growth in the

Permit to purchase ﬁrearms proposed

JUAN JOCOM

WASHINGTON STATE JOURNAL

A proposal to require a permit to purchase any firearm is the latest gun legislation to be introduced in this year’s Legislature.

“I think a lot of people miss that no one that I know of, at least here, is anti-Second Amendment,” said Nico Battle, from the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, in support of the legislation.

“We’re all about responsible gun ownership and finding the right balance between public safety and individual liberty. And I think that in Washington, we’ve done a really good job of striking that balance.” In Washington, a permit is required to carry a concealed weapon, but no permit is required for owning other guns. To date, only Hawaii, Connecticut, and New Jersey require a permit to own a gun. Washington would be the fourth state to require permits for gun ownership if HB1163 is approved.

Dannah Baxter, owner of Safefire Shooting Range and Retail,

argued that the proposed legislation would create unnecessary barriers for law-abiding gun owners.

“The reality is the criminals who are committing these violent acts aren’t affected by laws like HB1163,” Baxter said. “We are not the problem, and this bill does not target criminals who are. Instead, it continues to place unnecessary and increasing demands on small business owners like myself without addressing the true issue of gun violence in our communities.”

But advocates say there is a link between the easy availability of weapons and gun deaths.

“I personally do not want to be in a situation again where these guns do end up in dangerous hands,” said Julia Berus, a senior at Ingraham High School and a gun violence survivor.

In the United States, gun violence remains the leading cause of death for children and teens. According to research by the Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 48,204 people died

out here in the fairgrounds because this is a public place, and we wanted to invite the public who might be interested in HAM radio to come out and see what we do.”

On a fair-weathered Saturday on January 25, the Klickitat County Amateur Radio Emergency Services Group (ARES) hosted their Winter 2025 Field Day event at the County fairgrounds to showcase their work and invite public interest in amateur radio. The gathering highlighted the role HAM radio operators play in emergency preparedness, with volunteers demonstrating equipment, sharing experiences, and explaining the importance of staying connected when traditional communication systems fail. (Although “HAM” is usually capitalized, it is not an acronym. The term “ham radio” was originally a pejorative because early operators were considered “ham-fisted.” Today the term is simply synonymous with amateur radio operators.)

“The whole premise behind this is for amateur radio operators to get out into the field and operate remotely, away from their house,” said Butch Hallenbeck, emergency coordinator for Klickitat County ARES. “We are

The group’s Mobile Command Center was a focal point of the event, showcasing its

preparedness, with volunteers cations within that area.

capacity to operate during disasters. “The Mobile Command Center is part of the Department of Emergency Management in the county,” Hallenbeck explained.

“We have within this the ability to operate remotely. We have both HAM radio equipment and public safety equipment in here, and it’s all operated primarily by volunteers. We even have the capacity within this command center to operate a mobile 911 [call center].”

Hallenbeck underscored the

necessity of amateur radio in disasters, citing recent emergencies. “We’ve seen the need for amateur radio this last year with what has happened in North Carolina and California, where communications were basically dropped off the face of the earth,” he said. “In North Carolina, there was an amateur radio operator—there happened to be one repeater still in operation— and he actually became the primary source of communications within that area. We’ve seen that recently a year or two ago with the Tunnel Five Fire in Skamania County. The ARES groups actually came into the operation center and provided communications.”

Despite its unassuming presence, Klickitat County ARES is on the cutting edge of innovation. “We were one of the first counties to start using Starlink,” Hallenbeck said. “We were one of the first to get our drone program up, and now everyone’s doing it.”

However, maintaining such operations comes with financial challenges. “We are 100% grant-funded,” said Frank Hew-

West County tourism push creates paranormal creature

RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL

Klickitat County Commissioners met January 28 in their new workshop-in-the-morning, formal-meeting-in-the-afternoon format. Regular callers have found some advantages to the new setup as it allows the public to hear commissioners discuss things in the morning and comment on them in the afternoon before commissioners vote on them.

One of the biggest concerns from callers this week was a change in online public access to meeting agendas. Prior to this meeting, people could go directly to the county commissioners’ website, click on the current agenda, and download it. Now, though, if people go to the same location they used before, they are directed to a site requiring a signup to be automatically notified when the agendas were posted but with no way to get to the agenda from there.

In order to get to the new agenda location, people need to go to the county’s main page, scroll down past the alerts and National Weather Service links to the Board of County Commissioners. Click that, then you’ll be at the portal. Once you get to the agenda page, you’ll notice it’s in a broad outline, and you can

choose to download as little as a single agenda item at a time rather than the whole thing, which can run for hundreds of pages.

Another advantage of the Zoomed morning workshop was it allowed the public to listen in when Washington counties lobbyist Zak Kennedy reported to the commissioners about politics in Olympia. He said on Friday night, leadership in the House, with only a few hours’ notice, called an emergency meeting to change a House rule that’s been in effect since the 1890s. For more than a century and a quarter, it has taken a two-thirds majority to end discussion and move directly to a vote on the bill. That was changed to a simple majority.

“Now, basically, the majority party will be able to end discussion of any bill on final passage,” he said, “despite the minority’s opposition.”

He also reported the Speaker and the House majority leadership, all Democrats, have told the Democrat governor that his staff is not allowed in the building without an invitation. Could be an interesting session.

The county meeting was unusual in one respect in that Commissioner Lori Zoller was not present, and the two newly elected commissioners, Tony Andrews and Ron Ihrig, ran the

show.

One of the most intriguing items came towards the end of the afternoon regular session, when commissioners heard updates from Goldendale and Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce Executive Directors Teja Finch and Tammara Tippel, respectively. Tippel said one of the biggest things going on in the west county is a tourism initiative based on the paranormal.

“Margie’s Outdoor Store is the hub for that,” she said. “They really turned this into a serious marketing strategy. In 2018, Scotland Tourism determined the Loch Ness Monster was dragging in 54 million dollars a year just because of the Loch Ness Monster mystery.” People involved with the promotion have gone to the lengths of making up—or discovering, take your pick—a new cryptid. A cryptid is a creature that is said to exist but has not been proven to, like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. Their entry for the newest member of the cryptid family is the Klickitat Ape-Cat, a black panther-like beast standing six feet tall at the shoulders and is said to haunt the Columbia River Gorge. Come hunt for them, tourists, promoters say— and bring your money. Under the consent agenda,

Councilors prepare for City Action Days

RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL

Tuesday’s Goldendale City Council meeting became mainly a meeting about meetings.

Mayor Dave Jones announced that the scheduled council meeting on February 18–a Tuesday because of the Presidents’ Day holiday Monday–would have to be canceled because there wouldn’t be enough councilors to have a quorum. That’s because many of them will be attending City Action Days on February 19 and 20 in Lacey, Washington. The event is held by the Association of Washington Cities. Their website puts it this way:

“Held annually during the legislative session, this popular event for city officials includes updates on city legislative priorities, insider panels, and news about the latest legislative hot topics. Attendees can partici-

pate in the ‘hill climb’ to meet with statewide decision-makers about our legislative priorities at the state Capitol in Olympia.”

In other words, it is a chance for cities to get together and lobby their legislators. And the council meeting on the 18th is canceled because councilors will drive to Lacey that evening.

This event was seen as so important to the council that they scheduled a workshop session for Monday, the 10th, at 5:30 p.m. to go over bills they want to support or block. It will be a special meeting in the form of a workshop and open to the public, but councilors are not allowed to vote on anything at a workshop.

Councilor Danielle Clevidence promised to email all councilors a list of bills and suggested that they prepare well.

“Please look through the legislation before you come here and have your questions ready,” she

said, “so that we can go through them in a timely manner, and we don’t have to wait for everyone to go, ‘Hold on a second, let me read this.’”

When all was said and done, Mayor Jones summed up the busy schedule for next week:

“OK, so public works committee meeting, Tuesday, the 11th, 4 p.m. Ordinance committee meeting, Tuesday the 11th at 5:30. Special workshop Monday the 10th at 5:30. That’s what everybody has?” And City Administrator Sandy Wells reminded him and the council of one more, an events committee meeting, Wednesday, February 12, at 5:30 p.m. There were a few other items. Police Chief Mike Smith reported 243 calls for service in January, 10 more than in December; and the council voted by majority to approve the recommenda-

ZACHARY VILLAR

WILDLIFE

Holman is on the front line of wildlife protection in the Klickitat Wildlife Area.

Jerry Cornfield

Washington state standard

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is going to have a little more difficulty getting his staff inside the chamber of the state House of Representatives than his predecessors.

That’s because on January 24, in an unusual move, House Democrats rewrote a longstanding rule allowing automatic admission to the chamber for both governors and their designees. It will now only apply to the state’s chief executive. That means a member of a governor’s administration won’t be let in unless they are invited by a House member.

Some viewed the revision as a not-so-subtle retort to Ferguson’s inauguration speech. Many House Demo-

For the sentinel

The Klickitat County Childcare Committee (KCCC) is conducting a short survey for local employers and businesses to determine if the lack of childcare affects business operations and profitability in rural

Washington state standard

Before this year’s Washington state legislative session began, Sen. Deborah Krishnadasan was giving her husband a tour of her new workplace: the state Capitol building in Olympia.

After multiple failed attempts tapping her badge to access the Senate chambers, Krishnadasan, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat in December, realized she was accidentally trying to get into the governor’s office.

“We had to go up a floor,” jokes Krishnadasan, D-Gig

crats are still steaming over the Democratic governor’s reform-minded message, embrace of Republican priorities and failure to acknowledge Democrat-passed policies in areas like fighting climate change and expanding access to early learning and higher education.

House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Seattle, denied any connection. It was a situation where the old language was too “open-ended” and “there could be just an unlimited number of people in the House wings.”

House Minority Leader Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, didn’t see it that way. “It sure seems like they got mad at one speech where he admitted that they’re not perfect, and they want to

retaliate,” he said, adding the governor and his staff are welcome in his office any time.

The wording change is part of the “permanent rules” approved Friday that will govern how lawmakers conduct the business of legislating this session and next. The document contains 36 rules spanning 26 pages that deal with topics ranging from the duties of the speaker to how long members can speak in a debate to a ban on vaping in the chamber.

Usually, approval is pretty innocuous. Lawmakers pull out the prior set of rules, tweak a few lines, and adopt the updated version.

Not that Friday.

Republicans tried unsuccessfully to add language giv-

ing their party more direct input into budgets, expanding due process procedures for lawmakers under investigation and requiring that a separate spending plan for education be written.

Democrats made the eye-catching revisions.

First came Rule 8 and a single-line edit in the guidance for who should be admitted to the chamber. What had read “The governor (or designees or both)” is now simply “The governor.”

Then there was a retooling of Rule 20 to make it easier for Democrats to end Republican filibusters.

Generally, House members can speak for up to 10 minutes on a bill. That drops to three minutes in the days ahead of deadlines to vote bills out of

the chamber, and again in the final days of a session.

As those cut-off dates near, it is not unusual for many House Republicans to speak on one bill, eating up large chunks of time and effectively preventing Democrats from passing legislation before the deadline arrives.

“We’ve seen bills with majority support not make it because they talk past cut-off,” Fitzgibbon said, “We don’t think that’s democratic.”

The rule has been that a two-thirds vote of the House is required to end such a filibuster. Now a simple majority will be enough. Democrats can clear that hurdle easily as they hold 59 of the chamber’s 98 seats.

Stokesbary criticized the

revision in a floor speech before the final vote. “This rule change puts the convenience of the majority ahead of the rights of the minority,” he said.

In a later interview, he added that if Democrats’ concern is running out of time, “there’s a really easy solution”: start earlier.

One other notable change was the outlawing of “titleonly” bills, which, as the name implies, have only a title, a number and no content. Lawmakers used to routinely file these late in the session to ensure they have vehicles for last-minute legislation, typically budget-related.

Title-only bills are now banned in both the House and Senate.

Klickitat County. Johanna Roe, KCCC project coordinator and grant writer, said the effort focuses on employers with recruitment, retention, or expansion issues due to a workforce with unmet childcare needs. Answers to the survey will be used to help develop an agenda for a business forum later this spring to address the childcare crisis affecting the Klickitat County business community and the economy.

Harbor, who replaced Democratic U.S. Rep. Emily Randall in the state Senate after Randall was elected to Congress last year.

Rep. Gloria Mendoza, R-Grandview, another new lawmaker, puts a positive spin on the times she’s gotten off track navigating the Capitol campus, saying it’s given her a chance to explore different buildings and introduce herself to people in elevators.

“You can call it lost, or you could say, ‘hey, this is an opportunity to meet one more person,’” Mendoza said. This year, over 20 freshman state lawmakers arrived

“We are also interested in learning about creative ideas and innovative approaches participants may have regarding childcare issues,” Roe said, adding that the survey is brief and confidential.

in Olympia, some elected and others appointed to fill vacancies.

They’re diving into a 105day stretch of budget-writing and lawmaking. It’s a big year to be a rookie, with a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, major policy bills under consideration in areas like housing and education, and a new governor in the mix.

‘It’s just wild to me’

On Jan. 13, the session’s opening day, Rep. Osman Salahuddin, D-Redmond, started the morning with a cup of coffee and hotel waffles. He picked a purple tie

The online survey will be open until February 28 at https://forms.gle/tBtw1SGf6aJeNz498.

KCCC works to address the childcare needs of rural families throughout Klickitat County. The organization has helped five new childcare businesses open locally in the past 24 months and hopes the

to wear — a nod to the University of Washington, the college he attended.

Salahuddin had only six days between the time he was sworn in and the session’s start date. He was appointed to the House to replace Vandana Slatter, who moved to the Senate.

On the session’s third day, he was among those who escorted Gov. Bob Ferguson into the House chamber ahead of Ferguson’s swearing-in. Like Ferguson, Salahuddin served as president of the Associated Students of the University of Washington during his college years.

and

JaCquelyn Jimenez romero

Tamara Kaufman

G OLDENDALE ’ S A TTIC

This week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture

Answer to last week´s Mystery Picture

This picture has been colorized. Several people were able to identify last week’s Mystery Photo: she’s Heidi Fouts. Dennis Birney recognized her right away, as did David Telford, who

said she was a classmate, and others. No one was quite sure where this was taken or when. David said she was “a sports trainer in school and a wonderful person.”

A fine looking couple. Makes us wonder who they are, but we’re betting someone out there in Readerland will know. What was the occasion for this picture? Where was it taken?

Let’s not always see the same hands! 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

January 31, 1935 – 90 Years Ago

A new kind of bug has bitten the inmates of our institution. This well-known bug cannot be seen, heard, or felt, but it appears regularly every spring, and does it bring results! It brings on a peculiar malady in which those infected collect on a basketball ﬁeld marked with black stripes and begin throwing a spherical piece of rawhide at each other. Occasionally one victim hits the round object with a hickory stick. Some of the others, enraged, start chasing him and others yell, “Go home! Go Home!” And they call it baseball. Friday the Goldendale junior and senior girls played. The resulting score was juniors, 25, seniors, 8.

January 18, 1945 – 80 Years Ago

A cold, wet group of soldiers climbed out of their army trucks on December 13 at Rufus, Oregon, at 6:30 in the morning while all was dark. “I wonder what kind of city this is,” they wondered, as they could not see a thing in the black of night. Such was the arrival of a group of Army engineers who camped down on the banks of the Columbia for the purpose of experimenting with a new type of pontoon bridge. The soldiers, who are with the 1687 Engineering Combat Battalion, had been sent here from Brownwood, Texas, to work with the bridge across the Columbia under simulated combat conditions. “Combat conditions are right,” said a staff sergeant from Alabama. “We aren’t working under ﬁ re, but everything else is just the same.” As soon as Rufus residents were aware of what had been dumped in their laps, they organized for action. Field kitchens had not yet been set up, and the boys were cold and hungry. The good ladies of Rufus gathered much of the coffee in the town’s kitchens and took it to a house near where the boys were to camp. They then made steaming pots of hot coffee and had an open house, with the soldiers coming in groups of about 20 to warm themselves and have a cup of coffee.

February 1, 1945 – 80 Years Ago

Wishram Hoghead Has Whiskers: perhaps only the Wishram people, or those familiar with railroad slanguage, would be able to interpret the expression “Hoghead has most whiskers.” This means to those in the outer world who speak only English and other foreign languages that Roy Curtis of Wishram has more seniority as engineer than any other man there. Curtis, a clean-shaven gentleman with the longest whiskers in Wishram, can bump others with shorter whiskers. He was about 25 when he decided to become a railroad man, taking his ﬁ rst job as ﬁ reman in about 1905 on the Great Northern. When asked if he’d had any wrecks, he shrugged his shoulders and said, “Every trainman has had wrecks. They are part of the game.” He used to travel through Wishram when there was no Wishram.

January 28, 1965 – 60 Years Ago

Work has been progressing rapidly on construction of the new Layman Lumber Co. mill along SP&S trackage at the southwest city limit in Goldendale. The mill, 42 x 168 feet in overall dimensions, is being constructed by Goldendale superintendent Pete Brundridge. The heart of the mill will be the 7-foot double Sumner band head rig, driven by a 200-hp motor. As far as Goldendale is concerned, the new mill does not mean a greater payroll; in fact, it is expected that the new mill will be operated by the same size as the present mill located on the Little Klickitat—but it will put out about double the production of the present mill.

—Richard Lefever Klickitat County Historical Society

Points to ponder:

This is the story of four people: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was asked to do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. Consequently, it wound up that Nobody told Anybody, so Everybody blamed Somebody.

I made my girlfriend’s dream come true when we got married in a castle. Although you wouldn’t have thought it as we were bouncing around in it.

When I was in school, I joined a gang called the Secret Seven. We were sworn to secrecy. We were so good, I never found out who the other six were.

I got sacked as a tour guide in the Vatican. As I was talking about the pope, we turned a corner, and I said, “Ah, speak of the devil.”

Hobby Leads To Book Of Legends

December 7, 1944

C. O. Bunnell, of Hood River, who is in and out of Goldendale as district manager of the Paciﬁc Power & Light company, strings words together as easily as most of his men string light wires. In fact, the gentleman is the author of “Legends of the Klickitats,” which was published in 1933. He was born in Centerville and has made a life-time hobby of listening to Indian legends. As a youngster, he got his spending money by

selling fruit to the Indians who would pass his father’s ranch each salmon season. The ranch was near where the Maryhill Museum now stands.

Trades Melons For Story

The first complete tale he ever heard, came to him in lieu of cash. A tribe of Shoshones camped on the Bunnell place overnight, buying hay, melons and fruit. They were all able to pay, but one old chief who instead took three hours to tell the boy an outline of the history of the Klickitat and Mid-Columbia Indians.

Since that time, Clarence Bunnell has made a point of talking with Indians and getting their version of ancient happenings.

“They are usually hard to get started in conversation. None of them ever volunteered to tell me their stories. Rather, if I have a fragment of a tale, I tell it to them, and that starts them. They either add to it or tell me I am all wrong. By talking to many of them, referring to the same legend, I am able to piece the story together. Sometimes when they really get started talking, I can’t get them stopped!

“Through the years, I took notes of their stories, and people began asking me to make talks of the subject. My friends urged me to write them down in a pamphlet. In a conversation with Dean Powers of the University of Oregon, he suggested I print them in book form to preserve these legends which are fast disappearing.”

Is Also A Bard

The power man rather reluctantly admitted that he had also written poetry. During World War I, he frequently had his poetry published. He served 28 months with the engineering corps in France and eleven months with the Red Cross in the Balkans and during this time found many subjects to be covered in verse form.

The Saturday Evening Post and other nationally known magazines have printed this verse. He still has a large collection of poems yet unpublished.

Not stopping his hobby of Indian lore, C. O. Bunnell has gone on to widen the scope and now has another book ready to be printed, which deals with legends from many western tribes.

OpiniOn

driving so he can prepare himself.

Driving with dementia and knowing when to stop

Dear Savvy Senior,

When should someone with dementia stop driving?

My 83-year-old father has some dementia issues but still drives himself around town pretty well.

Concerned Daughter

Dear Concerned,

Most doctors agree that people with moderate to severe dementia should never get behind the wheel, but in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia, driving performance should be the determining factor of when to stop driving, not the disease itself.

With that said, it’s also important to realize that as your dad’s driving skills deteriorate over time from the disease, he might not recognize he has a problem. So, it’s very important that you work closely with his doctor to monitor his driving and help him stop when it is no longer safe for him to drive. Here are some additional tips that can help you.

Watch for warning signs

Savvy Senior, Jim Miller

The best way to keep tabs on your dad’s driving abilities is to take frequent rides with him and watch out for warning signs. For example: Does he have trouble remembering routes to familiar places? Does he drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate, drift between lanes or fail to observe traffic signs? Does he react slowly or make poor driving decisions? Also, has your dad had any fender benders or tickets lately, or have you noticed any dents or scrapes on his vehicle?

All of these are red flags.

If you need some assessment help, hire a driver rehabilitation specialist who’s trained to evaluate older drivers. See Myaota.aota.org/driver_search or Aded. net to locate one in your area.

Transition tips

Through your assessments, if you believe it’s still safe for your dad to drive, you should start recommending some simple adjustments to ensure his safety, like driving only in daylight and on familiar routes, and avoiding busy roads and bad weather. Also, get him to sign a dementia “driving contract” that designates someone to tell him when it’s no longer safe to drive. Go to Alz.org/driving and click on the “Download” button to print one.

You may also want to consider getting a GPS car tracking device (like Bouncie.com or MotoSafety.com) to help you monitor him. These devices will let you track where he’s driving and allow you to set up zones and speed limits that will send you alerts to your smartphone when he exits an area, or if he’s driving too fast or braking harshly.

Time to quit

When your dad’s driving gets to the point that he can no longer drive safely, you’ll need to talk to him. It’s best to start having these conversations in the early stages of the disease, before he needs to quit

THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL

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You also need to have a plan for alternative transportation (including a list of family, friends and local transportation options) that will help him get around after he stops driving.

For tips on how to talk to your dad, the Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence offers a helpful guide called “At the Crossroads: Family Conversations About Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia and Driving” that you can download at TheHartford.com/Publications-on-Aging.

Refuses to quit

If your dad refuses to quit, you have several options. First, suggest a visit to his doctor who can give him a medical evaluation, and prescribe that he stops driving. Older people will often listen to their doctor before they will listen to their own family.

If he still refuses, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to see if they can help. Some states will automatically revoke a license when a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, while many others require retaking a driving test.

If these fail, consider hiding his keys, or you may need to take them away. You could also disable his vehicle by disconnecting the battery, park it in another location so he can’t see it or have access to it, or sell it.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Burn-out has got to go

The Festival of Wheels gave it another try this year. It seems the attendance has dwindled to much lower levels than when the event was new, 10 years ago. There are a lot of competing car shows this time of year, so it doesn’t surprise me . This year Goldendale Motorsports Association and ABATE brought back the burn-out, which was tried several times in the past with questionable benefits to the town. This year someone had the brilliant idea to use the old skateboard park as a place to stage the return of the burnout. It was held on the concrete slab, a tempting medium for anyone inclined to bum rubber. Rednecks of many degrees, punk kids or maybe the little old lady from Pasadena. I personally was left with a bad taste in my mouth and lungs. Even though I made it a point to stay away from the burn-out and was at my home where I thought I would escape the noise and smoke, when the toxic cloud rose from the park and drifted over the Little Klickitat River Park (the swimming pool) on to the kids and families at the pool and on to me while I was sitting on my property. We were contaminated by the toxins in the smoke, and my eyes and throat were imitated, and my lungs filled with carbon monoxide and other cancer causing toxic compounds

for three hours.

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

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

Ken McKune Goldendale

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. 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

Letters from the community

Let’s get real

It is important to have facts and reality stand out in this era of disinformation and lies. As the economy was an issue in the 2024 election, let’s look at what actually happened during the four years of the Biden administration.

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.

The Department of Labor reported the total number of jobs created under Biden was 16.6 million—making it the only one to have created jobs every month. The U.S. also had the lowest average unemployment rate in 50 years, ending at 4.1%. The current inflation rate is under 3%, which is comparable to the rate in Trump’s first term. As Heather Cox Richardson additionally noted, working-aged women are now employed at record levels, and the gap in employment between Black and white Americans is at the lowest level on record. Plus incomes have increased about $4,000 more than prices.

This indicates policies and legislation are benefiting the working and middle classes and building the U.S. economy. The stock market has also hit record highs. These real accomplishments are a measure to use in comparison to what the new Trump term will do with the good economy he inherited. Can he match these

results, or will his policies and decisions have negative consequences that hurt working families but help the well-to-do? Will the truth be told about his costs and taxes, or will U.S. citizens be given falsehoods by the Trump administration? We need reality-based information and facts and economic accountability for impacts to come affecting us all.

Steven Woolpert White Salmon

Wrong direction

In a recent column, conservative writer David Brooks asserted how the senators of both parties are failing Americans during the Cabinet nomination hearings of Trump’s incredibly incompetent nominees. During the Department of Defense nominee Hegseth’s hearing, the questions had little to do with the actual defense of our country. Republicans focused on the “wokeness” of the DOD, and Democrats focused on Hegseth’s multiple personal demons.

There were no questions regarding the actual realities of our world: NATO leadership has assessed that the West is not prepared for the

Guidelines for Letters

rapidly developing potential for a world war. China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are creating an alliance, suggesting that the world will witness multiple significant invasions and wars at a time. The Chinese are developing advanced technology that suggests it is preparing for both invasion strategies and “the groundwork for a first strike nuclear capability against the U.S.,” and the “weak U.S. industrial base has hollowed out American resilience.” In a 2023 assessment, the RAND Corporation of the U.S. military’s power and influence concluded that our defense strategies and abilities can no longer meet the demands and challenges of the defense of our country.

Hegseth didn’t bother to learn the most basic information about the DOD, and the senators failed to expose this fact. Trump’s incompetence will not make America great again; all of his nominees and his lack of interest in America as a country will make us a weak and vulnerable country, politically isolated from other democratic countries.

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.)

Sue Kusch White Salmon

HOMETOWN

Incredible talesof kindness

Cypress

Creek

Renewables (Cypress Creek) has announced the continuation of its Energizing Tomorrow’s Leaders scholarship program After awarding $81,000 in scholarships across 21 counties in 2024,theprogramisbeing offered to high school seniorsin 26counties this year,includinginKlickitat County Cypress Creek will award $2,500 one-time scholarships to up to 52 graduating high school seniors across the United Stateswhohaveaninterest in renewable energy or STEM-relatedcareers

“The Tomorrow’s Leaders scholarship program has been a meaningful initiative in communities where wedevelop projects for two years now” said Sarah Slusser, chief executiveofficerofCypress Creek “We are excited to continue these efforts in 2025, and also to increase theamount of scholarship from previous years to make more of an impact on the next generation of scientists, engineers, environmentalspecialists andmore!”

Energizing selected and awarded

Two graduatingseniors attending schools in Klickitat County will be

$2,500 each, paid directly to the college they enroll inforFall2025andforuse towards tuition, housing, or book and materials Students pursuing a four-year two-year, or certificate program at an accredited university or college located in the UnitedStatesareeligible Moreinformation about theEnergizingTomorrow’s Leaders scholarship program, including application and eligibility requirements,canbefound by visiting ccrenewcom/ scholarships Thedeadline toapplyisApril14

JoceeHoctor and Wyatt Patterson,andAri Berge andAnthonyAvila

If I listed the many reasons I love our little Glenwood community, my editor would probably say the column runs too long However, I do want to share one more heartwarming act of generosity thatrecentlyoccurredhere in addition to theamazing supportfortheAvilafamily

I recently shared in the news about a student here atourGlenwoodSchoolwho longed to havea trombone tocontinuepracticingwith it as the student did when in the previous school Well, a very generous person whoread that news item recently gifted the student with a trombone I just received this from GlenwoodSchoolcounselor Mrs McLaughlin: “It was a very sweet moment between the donor and the student Theywereinshock and super grateful” She went on tosay, “We havea wonderfulcommunity that heedsthecallsand need of our students” Wow Made myweek,forsure I need to make correctionstoerrors Imadeinrecentnews about our beloved communitymember, Ben Langfield I shared the name of his late wife incorrectly Her maiden name was actually Lea Brasmer, not Leah Crawford Iapologize for theerror Ishould have checked with someone regarding the correct name and spelling before Iincluded it Again I can’t stresshowgreatlyBenwill bemissed here Hisfamily has been staying here in the community recently to takecareofsomeimportant business regarding their dad Many kind neighbors andotherfriendshavetaken turnspreparingandtaking dinnerstoKarie,Kasey,and Brianastheyworkthrough adifficulttimeforthemall Ourthoughtsarewiththem and their families at this time Last weekend was an excitingnightofhighschool basketball for Klickwood boys and the Trout Lake Mustangsgirls Theevening started with a very fastpaced junior varsity boys’ game OurKlickwoodjunior varsityhandilydefeatedthe

Trout Lake junior varsity

BecauseKlickwooddoesnot haveagirls’teamthisyear, Stevenson and Trout Lake High Schools graciously made the decision to play their girls game in the Glenwood gym so Jayla Avila could be honored in front of her hometown family and friends for her senior night To make her nightevenmorespecial,she andtherestoftheMustangs teamdefeatedtheStevenson girls

Finally, the Klickwood varsity played a rough, fast-paced game against theTroutLakeboysvarsity and came out winners in that game, too Before the varsity game, seniors Gavin Bensel, Christian Tomeo, and Tomei Tomeo were honored on their senior night At halftime of the boys’ varsity game, the homecoming court was presented The girls alllooked lovely out there Seniors Devin Gimlin and Jayla Avila were crowned king and queen It was a long night of games and celebration, but it was very exciting and fun I wanted to add Devin was just accepted to the collegeof his choice, Walla Walla Community College wherehewill work toward an AAdegreein Computer Science and complete his welding training to obtain a welder certification Congratulations,Devin

The next evening Klickwood continued their winning weekend by defeatingthe Lyle Cougars in the Klickitat gym This was a makeup game after one was postponed earlier thiswinterduetoabroken pipeintheKlickitatSchool Way to go, Klickwood boys and Trout Lake Mustangs girls

Last Saturday we drove to Carson to watch Jentry Hoctorand her Goldendale club volleyball team in a tournament They played several games won some and lost some, and, most importantly had a good time Jentry, a Glenwood elementary5thgrader,hada lotofgreatserves,including manyaces Shemaybeone ofthesmallestontheteam

but she’s mighty To make a special day even more special,wegottohavebrief visitswithformerGlenwood kids Josie Masden Baze, whose daughter is on Jentry’s team, and Shelley Kuhnhausen who coaches aHoodRiverteamonwhich herdaughterplays

In the early1990s, when we lived in Craig Alaska the Glenwood boys’ and girls’basketballteamscame toplaygamesagainstCraig and threeother schools on Prince of Wales Island Shelley and her cousin Connie stayed with us Shelleywasonlyafreshman that year and shared how much she loved her horse and about her plans to becomeaveterinarian She didachievethatcareergoal and has been a practicing veterinarian for several years It was great to see themboth If you havent yet made your reservations for the senior class crab feed on February8,callMrs Troh in theschool officeat (509) 364-3438toseeifit’snottoo late One and a half crabs for dinner is a great deal, and there will be bread a salad, beverages, and lots of desserts from which to choose Ifyouchoosenotto have the crab dinner chef salads will be available They will also come with bread, a beverage, and dessert Duringthedinner, thejuniorandseniorclasses willbe holdingthealwaysexcitingsilentauctionwith many great donated items, including a wine basket, cedarfenceposts,andmuch more

Contributed:Mary Pierce

HOMECOMING COURT: From left to right Giana Jackson and Blaine Arnold Queen Jayla Avila and King DevinGimlin,

Inez Silbaugh

Claudia Inez Silbaugh died on January 24, 2025, in Richland, Washington.

Frederick Leroy Meier died January 21, 2025, in Goldendale.

Students

urge legislators to increase funding for public schools

Juan Jocom Washington state Journal

Students, parents, educators, and activists with the advocacy group Billion Dollar Bake Sale gathered outside the Legislative Building in Olympia January 30 to demand more money for public schools.

“Fund our schools, no more crumbs,” students chanted as they expressed frustrations over current school funding. The group wants an additional $3 billion for education, well above the $1.3 billion in the proposed budget of former Gov. Jay Inslee.

Huda Hamed, a seventh grader in the Seattle Public School District, was one of the students in the crowd.

“We’re not getting top-level education because we don’t have enough money, and we don’t have the best school supplies,” Hamed said.

Kristiana de Leon, a former public-school teacher and Black Diamond city council member, compared the foggy morning to Washington’s unclear education funding model, which has burdened educators for years.

“We’re still having the same fight.” de Leon said. “I don’t know how to summarize what the past decade and more means.”

Sen. Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle, said Democrats will prioritize funding for special education, classroom materials, operating costs, and student transportation.

“All 30 of the members of the Senate Democratic caucus voted, discussed and decided that our highest priority for this year is to increase money for K12 education,” Pederson said. “There is nothing more important for

the state government than to provide ample funding for the education of all kids who reside in the state of Washington. So that’s our commitment to you.”

To pay for the increased spending, Pederson said legislators are considering delaying programs and introducing tax increases, such as a wealth tax and a higher payroll tax.

Gov. Bob Ferguson has repeatedly said he is skeptical about the wealth tax, but the state is facing a budget deficit of up to $15 billion, and Ferguson’s proposed cuts fall well short of that number at an estimated $4 billion.

Seattle teacher Elisa Munger said students are coping with social problems well beyond what schools can handle. The distractions they bring to school are many.

“Whether it’s ‘I want to be on TikTok’ or ‘I’m worried that my family might be deported’,” Munger said. “These kids have a lot on their minds, and we don’t always have the resources to help them.”

In a recent speech, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said a $3 billion gap exists between what the state is providing and what districts are spending on materials, supplies and operating costs, special education and transportation.

He said these costs are the state’s responsibility, specifically calling out special education as a “civil right obligation” and operating costs as a part of basic education.

The Washington State Journal is a nonprofit news website operated by the WNPA Foundation. To learn more, go to wastatejournal.org.

Jordan mayberry For the sentinel

On Saturday, January 18, young chess players from across Klickitat County and eastern Oregon gathered at Sherman County School for the Husky Scholastic Chess Tournament. The event marked the first time Sherman County School hosted a U.S. Chess Federation (USCF)-rated Swiss-style tournament, drawing forty-five players eager to test their strategic skills.

Students from Wheeler High School (Fossil), Hermiston School District, Sherman County schools, and Goldendale High School, along with five homeschool students from the Goldendale area, competed in two divisions based on age and ability. The competition was fierce, with players vying for trophies, medals, and the chance to improve their chess rankings.

The tournament saw 24 players compete in the U900 section and 23 players compete in the U300 section. In the U900 section, Riley Darcy of Hermiston High School emerged victorious, claiming first place with four wins. Sherman County’s Erin Burbank secured second place on tie-breaks, while Caiden Walker, also from Sherman County, took third. Several other competitors earned Plus Medals for winning more than half of their matches, including Isaiah Burbank and Kennan Cranston of Sherman County, Rainer McGreer of Wheeler High School, and Stephen Orendorff Sr., who stepped in to balance the pairings. Seven additional players received Evens Medals for winning half their games.

The U300 section saw an intense finish, culminating in a dramatic blitz playoff between homeschoolers David Harmening and Gibbs Miner, both from Goldendale. Gibbs won the contest to claim first place, with David finishing second. Simon Burbank of Sherman clinched third place on tie-breaks. Other standout performers included Plus Medal winners Trapper Malcolm, Daniel Burbank, Wilhelm Orendorff, and Lilly Foyen from Sherman County, along with Theo Wood and Ivan Miner from Goldendale’s homeschool community. Six additional students earned Evens Medals for their performances.

The tournament’s success owed itself to strong support from various organizations.

A grant from the Weir Foundation funded Sherman County chess for a second year, while Puddletown

Chess, based in Portland, contributed $300 and provided valuable guidance to Coach Kevin Stuart, the event’s host. Additional financial backing came from the Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation (OSCF) with a $750 grant, and the Franklin Conklin Foundation, which donated $2,000 with the help of the Sherman County Education Foundation.

Tournament Director Phil Schapker-Mendez, president of OSCF, traveled

from Albany, Oregon, to oversee the event. His efforts, combined with those of Sherman County chess coach Kevin Stuart, have sparked enthusiasm for future tournaments. “We’ve been trying to expand US Chess Federation-rated tournaments into eastern Oregon,” said Stuart, who also serves as a board member of the Oregon Classic Chess Federation.

“The benefit for the kids is that they gain a membership

rating that stays with them for life. They can go anywhere in the U.S., and that rating stands.” Stuart noted that the tournament was modeled after Puddletown’s successful events. “We did all the careful planning and structured our tournament after one of the best-run tournaments,” he said. While organizers had “hoped for 150 participants,” they were pleased with the turnout and representation, “we had 44 counties

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.

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.

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.”

E XTRA

Snyder defamation complaint dismissed, reﬁled

Tuesday morning in Klickitat County Superior Court, rulings were made in cases brought by Michael Snyder against Julia Skillman, Darlene Williamson, Leandra Kessinger, and Amanda Dershon. Snyder had ﬁ led a defamation suit against the four over their months of social media claims of misconduct by Snyder.

A protection order against Skillman was renewed for a year, and Skillman was found in contempt of court for pre-

WILDLIFE from page A1

area so the oak has enough space to get the sunlight it needs.

Another concern is the Western gray squirrel.

The Klickitat Wildlife Area is one of only three places in the state where a population of the animal exists. They are a protected species in Washington and cannot be hunted, trapped, or killed.

The area being home to this endangered species is something that weighs heavily on decisions made by Holman and the WDFW.

“This is probably one of the highest concentrations of the population left,” says Holman. “That’s a main driver for a lot of the projects that we do. Or if we do other projects, everything has to be based around, ‘Is it going to be good for the Western gray squirrels?’”

The Klickitat Wildlife

RADIO from page A1

ey, the volunteer program coordinator. Volunteer efforts and community support are critical to ensuring the group can continue its work.

“The ARES group works closely with the Department of Emergency Management, but ARES is part of the Amateur Radio Relay League,” Hallenbeck explained. “There is state, national, and local leadership involved in that. The idea of ARES is that we come alongside the professionals, and we support them.”

For those interested in joining the amateur radio community, Hallenbeck emphasized the accessibility of the ﬁ eld. “There are a lot of different avenues to get

vious violations of the order. She was sentenced to jail time, but that sentence is suspended provided Skillman remains in compliance with the new order. A motion by Skillman for Restriction of Abusive Legislation against Snyder was denied. The defendants filed a motion to strike an amended complaint by Snyder on the basis of improper ﬁ ling. His motion required court permission to ﬁ le, and Snyder failed

Area is also an historic migratory route for mule deer, which is part of the reason many people come here for hunting. Though you may run into several of them eating plants in your front yard, mule deer populations are in decline. In 2017, the spread of a deadly viral infection called Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease (AHD) was responsible for a drop in mule deer population in the county. Another limiting factor for mule deer numbers is habitat loss due to development or conversion of habitat, which is why Holman says having the Klickitat Wildlife Area as a habitat for animals is so valuable.

“Having these migratory refuges where [the mule deer] can come out from up on the mountains and come to these lower

licensed as an amateur radio operator,” he said. With reduced test costs and the availability of online coursework, getting started is much easier now than it ever has before. Looking ahead, ARES is working on an ambitious project to create a countybased radio network.

“We’re in the process of hopefully putting together an AREDN, which is an Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network. It works just like the internet does, but we’re completely independent,” Hallenbeck shared. The network would enable high-speed data communication within the county, offering a reliable alternative during disasters.

Hallenbeck encouraged

to secure that permission. Striking a complaint means to nullify it completely, as if it had never been ﬁ led. Their motion was granted.

However, with Snyder’s motion struck, he no longer requires court permission to ﬁ le the same complaint anew. Snyder ﬁ led the motion again yesterday afternoon. The complaint is a revision of his original defamation suit against the four defendants.

elevations and spend winter here is important,” she says. “That’s another reason that we have this big parcel [of land] that’s north to south. It’s to let them navigate to these lower elevations without roads and without people.”

At the end of hunting season, the WDFW closes the roads for half of the Klickitat Wildlife Area to give the deer a reprieve. Holman is just one of many WDFW employees doing their part to keep our state’s wildlife thriving so we can all enjoy these animal neighbors. For people who are interested in helping preserve wildlife, you can apply to volunteer the WDFW on their website: wdfw.wa.gov/get-involved/ volunteer.

everyone to explore the hobby, whether as a casual interest or a stronger commitment. “Some people get their license and never use them,” he said. “It’s an interesting hobby—you can either dive really deep or really shallow.”

For those curious about HAM radio or interested in volunteering, the Klickitat County ARES group meets on the fourth Thursday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Emergency Operations Center. The team is always looking for new members to help strengthen communication capabilities and support the community in times of need.

COUNTY from page A1

commissioners approved:

• An amendment to the Local Solid Waste Financial Assistance Agreement with Washington State Department of Ecology for the 2023-2025 Biennium

• Executing Contracts and Contract Bonds for the Bickleton Hwy OverlayBox Springs Vicinity, CRP 382.

• Advertising to fill a vacant maintenance technician for the Public Works Department

PERMITS

from page A1

from gunshots in 2022.

Also introduced this year is SB5099, a bill that imposes stricter licensing requirements and holds ﬁ rearm dealers accountable for reporting stolen guns.

Jeremy Ball, president and owner of Sharp Shooting Range in Spokane, said he won’t be losing anything if the bill passes. However, this will make it more expensive for him to operate his business.

“I’m sick and tired of

CITY from page A1

tions of the events committee on awarding tourism funds to nonproﬁts. Steve Johnston voted no, saying he did not approve spending public

White Salmon location.

• Renewal of the Radio System Management, Operation & Maintenance SupportAgreement with Radio Service Solutions, LLC for two years.

• Release of retainage of a contract bond with Knife River Corporation NW for the Curve Warning Signs $ Guide Posts.

• Set 2026 Budget Development Process

Dates

• The Klickitat County Flood Damage

legislators blaming me because they cannot get control of our criminal population,” Ball said. “If these legislators continue to attempt to take my only form of income away from me, I’m going to continue to show up… because I think what they’re doing right now is idiotic.”

Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, himself a retired police officer, is the primary sponsor of SB5099.

Prevention Ordinance

• A request to temporarily increase the credit card limit on the Emergency Management E-911 card to allow coverage of conference and travel expenses.

• A request to temporarily increase the credit card limit on Filiberto Ontiveros Jr’s card for the Department of Emergency Management to allow coverage of conference and travel expenses.

“It’s about preventing tragedies before they happen,” Lovick said.

funds on the annual gay pride event. Andy Halm, who is an organizer of the event, abstained, as did Loren Meagher, who

Last year, the state passed several gun-related laws tightening regulations. These included banning the open carry of ﬁ rearms in public libraries, zoos, aquariums, and transit stations, as well as requiring gun owners to report stolen guns.

The Washington State Journal is a nonprofit news website operated by the WNPA Foundation. To learn more, go to wastatejournal.com.

said he had been absent during the previous meeting’s discussion about the committee’s recommendations.

This Calendar of Events listing is FREE! Email your event to events@goldendalesentinel.com or call 509773-3777.

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 find an advertising package that works for your needs and fits your budget! We offer 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.

WEEKLY AND MONTHLY

Every Wednesday,Monday, and Friday

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

• Lyle Lions Meeting 6 p.m. the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Lyle Lions Community Center.

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

• The Coalition for Preventing Abuse in Klickitat County (CPAKC) 4 p.m. every 2nd Monday via Zoom. 509-773-3776 or CPAKC on Facebook.

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

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

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

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

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

• EPIC Youth Center Games: 3 - 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday. All ages welcome though a release of liabilities and parent agreement of conduct must be on file. Youth under the age of 8 must be checked in by a parent. Visit epicyouthcenter.org for forms.

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

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

• TOPS Club Inc. – Taking Pounds off Sensibly 10 a.m. the Nazarene Church on Grant and Allyn. Questions? Sally/ojala@ gmail.com.

• Goldendale Junior Community Chamber 7 p.m. 2nd Tuesday of every month at Umpqua Bank. Call 509-250-0625

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

• Soroptimist International of

Community Events

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

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

Wednesday

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

• Family Storytime: 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. at the Goldendale Community Library.

• Learn and Play! – 2 – 3 p.m. every 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Goldendale Primary School. Fun and learning for you and your little ones up to 5 years!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday

• EPIC Youth Center Games: 6:30 - 8 p.m. every Thursday. All ages welcome though a release of liabilities and parent agreement of conduct must be on file. Youth under the age of 8 must be checked in by a parent. Visit epicyouthcenter.org for forms.

• Rosary every Thursday evening at 6p.m. at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church 307 Schuster in Goldendale.

• Drinking Democratically 6 - 7:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month. Food and drink available for purchase. Call Carol for location 971-404-1935

• Al Anon Group meets at 7 p.m. at the Nazarene Church 124 W Allyn in Goldendale. Call 509-310-3377 with questions.

• Learn and Play! 10:30 –11:30 a.m. at the White Salmon Library. Stories, songs, puppets, crafts and more for young children (birth through 5yrs) and their parents or caregivers presented by White Salmon Valley Community Library Staff. Free book for each participant provided by the FVRL Foundation.

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

• Parent Support Group – 10

a.m. weekly 166 E Jewett Blvd in White Salmon. Join us for community support at our weekly meeting at! Children are welcome & encouraged. There is a small play area to keep little hands busy. We’d love to see you there!

• Bingo at the Goldendale American Legion Thursdayscard packets go on sale 6:30 p.m. game starts 7 p.m. Food available

• Bingo - High Prairie Community Center, 2nd Thursday of every month, doors open at 6, starts at 6:30. Questions contact Lori Sweeney 503-260-7129

• WAGAP Mobile Food Bank – 1st Thursday of the month: 9-10:30 a.m. Wishram school, 10:45 - 11:30 Wishram Heights Housing, 12–2 p.m. Dallesport Community Center, 3-5 p.m. Lyle Lions Club. 3rd Thursday of the month: 9-11 a.m. Trout Lake Baptist Church, 12-2 p.m. BZ Corner Community Building. Call 509-493-2662 ext 208 for more information.

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

Friday

• Open sewing, knitting, or whatever you do every Friday from 1 - 4 p.m. at Wild Daffodil and 3C’s Fabric in their new location $10.

• Lyle Community Game Day 1 p.m. the third Friday of every month at the Lyle Lions Community Center.

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

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

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

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

Saturday

• Hope Neighborhood 4 - 5:30 p.m. (winter hours) 115 E Main Street, Goldendale at the Goldendale Senior Center. A time of fellowship, bible reading, and discussion for those seeking to learn and grow in God’s word.

• Art Club: Saturday at 1 p.m. at Apollonia Book Store in Goldendale

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

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

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

• Family Storytimes 10:30 –11:30 a.m. 1st Saturday of the month @ the Goldendale Library COMMUNITY EVENTS

Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025 - ’50s, ’60s, & ’70s Sock Hop and Full Prime Rib Dinner, Goldendale American Legion. Dinner starts at 5 p.m. with music and dancing after. $30 per person. Shake, Rattle, and Roll!

February 15, 2025, An Intimate Evening with Margo Cilker: A Benefit for the Trout Lake School Music Program: 6 p.m. at the Trout Lake Hall, 15 Guller Rd, Trout Lake. 6 - 8 p.m. Silent Auciton andother fun, 8 p.m. Marg Cilker performance. All ages welcome! $25 advance/ $30 at the door. ALL TIED TOGETHER Silent Auction, Community, and Fun! We

are super excited to host a benefit night to raise funds for the Trout Lake School music program. This will directly benefit an afterschool program for this school year and any additional funds will be saved to contribute towards the potential full-time Music teacher for next school year. Our goal is to raise $10000. Please share the link to donate or buy a ticket for this special evening! https:// troutlakehall.eventcalendarapp. com/u/37601/354776

February 15, 2025, Alder Creek Pioneer Rodeo Queen Coronation: 5 p.m. at the Bickleton School. Social hour starts at 5pm, dinner at 6pm. We will have silent auction items and dinner! Tickets will be available to purchase at the door, $15 per person with 5 & under free. All proceeds will go to help Jaylee the 2025 Alder Creek Pioneer Rodeo Queen through her year! The 2025 Rodeo Queen is Jayleen Phillips. If you’d like to donate items to the silent auction contact Amanda Chamers at 509366-0509

February 27, 2025, Goldendale Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours: 5:30 - 7 p.m. at the County Services Office, 115 W Court in Goldendale. Join us for an engaging evening at our Business After Hours event on February 27th at 5:30 PM! Hosted by Klickitat County’s Small Business Development Advisor, Tessa Bowdish,

this is a fantastic opportunity for local business owners and entrepreneurs to connect, share ideas, and support one another in our vibrant community. Enjoy light refreshments as you mingle with fellow professionals, gain valuable insights from Tessa, and explore new opportunities for collaboration. Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or just starting out, this event is designed to foster relationships and facilitate growth.Don’t miss out on this chance to enhance your network and learn from one another. We look forward to seeing you there! Register for this event by calling the Chamber at 509-773-3400.

March 29, 2025, Lilly Hiatt: Doors open at 6, show starts at 7 at the Trout Lake Hall, 15 Guler Rd. Trout Lake. The last few years have been a little hazy for Lilly Hiatt, who finds herself searching for answers on her striking new album, Forever. Recorded at home with her husband, Coley Hinson who produced and played most of the instruments, Forever grapples with growth and change, escape and anxiety, self-loathing and self-love. The songs are intensely vulnerable, full of diaristic snapshots and deeply personal ruminations, but they’re also broad invitations to find yourself in their unflinching emotional excavations. The result is a raw, unvarnished work of love and

trust that walks the line between alt-rock muscle and singer/songwriter sensitivity, a bold, guitardriven exploration of maturity and adulthood from an artist who wants you to know you’re not alone, no matter how lost you may feel.

March 27, 2025, True Loves: Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7 at the Trout Lake Hall 15 Guler Rd, Trout Lake. $20 advance, $25 day of. Listening to the Seattle-based original funk & soul group, True Loves, is like walking down a favorite neighborhood street, slappingfive with friends, checking up with clerks in their stores, and smelling the familiar scents of your most cherished locale. The band is its own block party. Together, the group’s live performances have garnered them much acclaim and millions of streams on YouTube.

May 2 - 4, 2025 Home and Garden Show: Join us for the annual Goldendale Home and Garden Show, where we celebrate the best of home improvement, gardening, and community spirit in Klickitat County! This year, we’re working harder than ever to bring you an unforgettable experience with exciting new features and activities. Stay tuned for more details as we finalize our plans. We can’t wait to see you there and make this year’s Goldendale Home and Garden Show the best one yet!

Check It Out

• “The Homesteader’s Natural Chicken Keeping Handbook: Raising a Healthy Flock from Start to Finish” by Amy K. Fewell (2019)

• “Backyard Chickens: Beyond the Basics” by Pam Freeman (2017)

• “Chicken DIY: 20 Fun-to-Build Projects for Happy, Healthy Chickens” by Daniel Johnson (2017)

• “How to Build Chicken Coops: Everything You Need to Know” by Samantha Johnson (2017) Eggscellent! Moving right along… Champions of chickens would argue that chickens have not gotten the attention and respect they deserve. Not so, my poultry paladins: several books exploring chicken’s personalities have been published recently, and I’m not just snapping my beak here:

• “How to Read a Chicken’s Mind: Understand How Chickens Learn, Perceive People, Express Emotions, and Pass Down Knowledge” by Melissa Caughey (2025)

• “What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird” by Sy Montgomery (2024)

• “How to Speak Chicken: Why your Chickens Do What They Do and Say What They Say” by Melissa Caughey (2017)

Did you know the most popular book about chickens was written right here in Washington? Betty MacDonald penned “The Egg and I” (1945) about her experience as a young married woman starting a poultry farm near Port Townsend, WA. The book was made into a movie with Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray. Check out both at the library - we also have a book club kit for this classic!

Ah, but you want to involve the whole family in this eggstravaganza, right? Here are two really funny books about chickens for older kids:

• “Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer” by Kelly Jones (2015)

• “Are You Ready to Hatch an Unusual Chicken?” By Kelly Jones (2018)

And some picture books for the younger set:

• “Interrupting Chicken” series by David Ezra Stein

• “Chicken Break!: A Counting Book” by Cate Berry (2019) Scratch around this list; you’re sure to nd something to nibble on!

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

New at the Library

FICTION

“Going Home” by

(2023)

minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool then melt remaining white chocolate chips and drizzle over bars.

My father and my niece have a wonderful tradition. Born just 69 years and one week apart, they have celebrated their birthdays together for as long as my niece has had a birthday. Last night, we all went out to eat and then went to my sister’s house to open presents and have birthday cake. I live just a few blocks from a wonderful Italian bakery. They make the best chocolate cake ever, so I offered to bring the cake.

Last year, my father turned 90 and my niece turned 21, and so I bought a single candle that said “21” on it and put in nine candles, and they blew them out together. But this year, with my father turning 91 and my niece 22, I could think of no simple means of representing these ages in candles—without burning my sister’s house down.

I thought, as long as the bakery was writing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” on the cake, they could just as easily write “HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!” followed by “22 & 91.” Then I could put a single candle by each age and simplify the whole complicated (but mandatory) candle-blowing-out procedure.

So that’s what I did. A nice young woman repeated the message back to me on the phone, and I headed out the next day to pick up the cake.

“Right here!” a young man who I had not seen working there before said.

“Could I have a quick look at it?” I asked.

I only asked because they put their cakes in sturdy boxes tied up with two lengths of strong ribbon and knot the ribbon at the top. It makes it easy to carry the heavy cake home, but there is no way of opening the box without scissors.

“Sure!” the young man said. The cake said, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY.”

I knew the young woman had understood me, so I suspected this was not my cake. I told the young man that the ages should be on the cake, and he took the first cake back and went looking for my cake.

He was gone a very long time.

“Got it!” he finally said when he returned with another cake.

“Can I have a look at it?” I asked again. At this point, I was starting to feel like a bit of a nuisance, but the staff was as friendly as always, so I went around the counter and looked at the cake.

It said, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY 55.”

“This is not my cake,” I told the young man. By now, the manager—or at least a more senior member of the staff—had taken an interest.

“Aren’t you Karen Carlson?” the manager asked.

“No. I’m Carrie Classon.”

The two bakery employees looked at the cake.

“We gave someone the wrong cake,” the young man announced.

By now, a young woman (I believe the one who took the order) was involved. She confirmed what the cake should have said, and the manager wrote it down on a piece of paper, and the young man disappeared into the back again.

“So sorry for the delay!” the manager said. After a long wait, a new cake appeared. “HAPPY BIRTHDAYS! 22 & 91” it read.

They tied up the cake with very strong ribbon, and I walked home with my cake. And at least twice every block, I stopped to laugh out loud.

Because I knew Karen did not check her cake.

She had already taken that cake to someone who was going to get the most confusing birthday message they have had in all their 55 years.

To see photos, check out CarrieClassonAuthor on Facebook or visit CarrieClasson.com.

Not My Cake

Taj Majal

One of the most famous buildings in the world is the Taj Mahal. It’s in India, in the city of Agra, and it’s known for being not only absolutely beautiful, but massive. People call it a symbol of love, but the name means Crown of the Palace. It was built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal when she passed away. The emperor wanted to honor his wife in a way that would show the world how beautiful she was. The Shah decided to build a tomb as beautiful as Mumtaz. He wanted the world to know how much he loved her. He also wanted it to be built so it would last forever just like his love for his wife.

Shah Jahan would have never imagined that seven or eight million people would visit the city of Agra and the Taj Mahal every year. He probably would have been shocked to know it would become one of the seven wonders of the world. He did know Taj Mahal was a sacred site because it is a mausoleum that is the home to the tomb where Mumtaz is buried. This type of mausoleum was very important to the people of the Mughal Empire. It connected the person buried inside with eternal life.

Thousands of people worked to design and finish the building and it took them 22 years. One of the coolest facts about the Taj Mahal is how it was built in a time when there were no trains or semi-trucks to move the special materials from all over the world. The marble used to construct the building is a very special type of stone that came from 124 miles away. This stone was moved down the Yamuna River using boats. The materials came from all over Asia, and it took over 1,000 elephants to carry it all.

The symmetry of the Taj Mahal is important because it represents the idea of divine perfection. Symmetry means that if you cut something in half both parts are identical to the other. The perfect symmetry showed how much power the emperor had. In the center of the building is a dome that is taller than a 24 story building. The large dome is surrounded by four smaller domes. On each corner of the building are four spires, called minarets. Around the entire building there are four gardens. That is important because the number four is a sacred number to the Muslim faith.