allots for this year’s primary election will be arriving in mailboxes soon, and ahead of the voting The Sentinel presents interviews with the candidates in what may be the most closely watched contest in Klickitat County. Incumbent and first-term County Commissioner Dan Christopher is being challenged by Ron Ihrig, a familiar figure and former commissioner. Differences between the two were seen at the outset, with Christopher stating he felt in-depth interviews might be more useful closer to the general election since the primary would make no difference in who would be on the ballot in November. Ihrig felt it useful for voters to know more about both candidates early on since the primary could be a bellwether for how close the general election might be.
Following are comments from both candidates during Q&A sessions with The Sentinel
DAN CHRISTOPHER
Sentinel: What’s on your stillto-do list if you’re reelected?
Christopher: I have a two-page list of things I’m trying to get done that I can’t. On January 1 I would bring up—again—the issue of board rules, rules for the board of commissioners to follow and/or be held accountable by the other commissioners. We’re supposed to follow Robert’s Rules of Order, but if you listen to recorded Zoom meetings from one specific commissioner, we don’t follow Robert’s Rules of Order. Or there are many different forms of Robert’s Rules of Order, which is why we have the contentiousness problem. The board rules would go in there to say we do follow Robert’s Rules of Order, and there’s only one set of Robert’s Rules of Order. And it would hold each commissioner accountable for moral or ethical issues, conflicts of interest, me flipping somebody off. [Chirstopher was referring to his giving the finger to a constituent during a board meeting a few years ago.] The other two [commissioners] could publicly chastise me. That’s essentially all you can really do. Yes, there’s absolute contentiousness on the board, but in the same regard, each person should be allowed to defend themselves when their character is being assassinated or something’s being said about them. Right now, there is no place for that in a board meeting. So when Jake [Commissioner Jacob Anderson] makes little snide comments like, “Unlike Mr. Christopher, I like the people.” What do you mean? I don’t like the people? Anybody calling the board contentious and pointing the finger at me is not paying attention. In the same regard, when that happens, a person should have the right to say, “Excuse me, I didn’t say I’m against the people.” So we don’t have any board rules.
Hence the reason January 1, I want some board rules. The reason Robert’s Rules of Order are followed by every county is so the odd person out isn’t targeted, isn’t attacked. That’s what Robert’s Rules do. They don’t protect the majority. They protect the minority. In the board room there should be professionalism, decorum. There should not be public attacks, should not be personal attacks, should not be innuendo, not making up lies. But you have to have rules to be able to enforce that.
Sentinel: How do you see economic development in the county?
Christopher: In Goldendale in 20 years, we had .09 percent back from the state sales for economic development. Up until I took office, not $1 in 20 years had ever been spent here. I mentioned this when I was running— nobody’s paying attention to this. If you talked to the powers that presided, you’d find
See Dan page A8
Sentinel: You’ve been a county commissioner before. When was that, and how long did you serve in that capacity?
Ihrig: I served as county commissioner from 1993 to 1996, one four-year term. I did not run again. I was mayor [of Goldendale] before that, 1990 to 1992, and then that’s when I ran for county commissioner. My first daughter was born when I was mayor. My second daughter was born when I was county commissioner. And then I asked for a leave of absence from the PUD [Klickitat Public Utility District where he was employed]. And they said, “No, we prefer you work a day a week, and then if we have major outages where we could use your help, that would be really helpful just to have another person.” So I was working one day a week with PUD. Time just got to be an issue with the family. That’s when I went out and tried
County to begin advertising for permanent jail administrator
RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL
Klickitat County commissioners held an abbreviated morning-only session at their July 9 meeting. Sheriff Bob Songer was scheduled to appear, but Undersheriff Carmen Knopes and Chief Civil Deputy Karen Elings ended up representing the department. Knopes read a statement from Songer that repeated his suggestion that the commission put the future of the county jail on the ballot in November, with three choices: keep the sheriff in charge of the jail but make needed improvements, contract with NORCOR in The Dalles, or have the commissioners take over jail operation.
It remains uncertain why Songer continues to make that suggestion, given that County Auditor Heather Jobe informed him weeks ago that such an initiative cannot be put on a ballot in a non-charter county such as Klickitat County.
The suggestion drew a response later in the meeting from Human Resources Director Robb Van Cleave.
“I keep hearing and reading that potentially there is some confusion about whether you’ve made a decision to assume supervision of the jail,” Van Cleave told commissioners. “It’s my understanding through two resolutions, that question has been answered. The only remaining question is when, not if.”
Those resolutions were passed at the June 25 meeting.
Van Cleave received approval at this meeting to begin advertising for a permanent jail administrator, and to engage the services of an agency for $7,500 to help find suitable candidates.
The vote was unanimous, with commissioners saying that was a small price to pay to find a great administrator instead of just a good one to run a $2 million-ayear department.
In other news from the Sheriff’s Office, Knopes said no incidents had been reported at the Bickleton Alder Creek or Glenwood rodeos nor at the demolition derby. She also praised Reserve Deputy Ken Clinton, who donated countless hours of work to restore the department’s marine patrol boat, the Osprey, to service following an encounter with a submerged log.
Commissioners responded to several remarks made during public comment. One person argued there was a lack of resources for youth in the county. Dan Christopher said he agreed.
“That is why a couple years ago I pushed for a park fund,” he said, “which was $50,000 per commissioner district, to be used on parks, because I believe the parks in our county, well, frankly, suck. No money’s been invested. They have a lot of work to do. They don’t facilitate ADA. They don’t facilitate a lot.”
He explained the park fund was only approved for one year, and he was outvoted two to one when he proposed continuing the program this fiscal year.
Commissioner Jacob Anderson had a different interpretation.
“I grew up in this county,” he said. “We live in paradise. There are an abundant amount of things for children to do here. We live in an outdoor Mecca, especially on the west end of the county where the summer programs that the schools put on, that the nonprofit organizations put on, kids have an abundant amount of things to do, and I would much rather raise my child here than in any city.”
Two people expressed concern about disposal of old wind turbine blades, thinking they were toxic.
“Wind turbines can be recycled,” replied Anderson, “and they have been recycled elsewhere in the United States. Many of them are being turned
into cement, reducing the overall environmental impact of cement plants... They are primarily made of fiberglass, which is not considered a toxic material.”
He added that any time turbine blades would be taken to the landfill it would reduce taxes in the county, since the company’s tipping fees would go to the county.
Another person was concerned about the landfill and heard that toxins from the landfill were getting into nearby wells.
All three commissioners took turns explaining there are no water wells nearby. The only “wells” of a sort at the landfill are pipes that collect the methane from decomposition, filter it, and inject it into the natural gas supply system. It is also the most secure landfill possible, they explained, sitting on bedrock high above the aquifer. Commissioners pointed out that while landfills are required to seal the bottom with a minimum of 15 feet of clay, the site had a natural deposit on the order of 80 feet of clay already in place. That situation would have meant there was no requirement for a liner on top of the clay, but the company installed one just the same. “Not just a lining,” said Commissioner Christopher, “but the best lining money can buy. And even if the lining wasn’t there, nothing would never make it through to the water table.”
One caller noted that some wind farm turbines are having the power nacelles replaced and thought that meant the old turbine had to be torn down and the company had to get a demolition permit and apply for new permit to rebuild.
Commissioners said the company wouldn’t have to get permits to replace the power plant any more than you would have to get a new registration for your car if you replaced the engine.
Commissioner Dan Christo-
to find somebody who would run for commissioner so everything we had done wouldn’t get torn down. [Ray Thayer then ran and became a commissioner.]
Sentinel: What’s changed from when you were a commissioner then to now?
Ihrig: The landfill just came in place when I was serving as mayor on the Salt Waste Advisory Committee. When I left, the revenue was $400,000 [annually]. At that time, we didn’t have a lot of extra funds. [Emergency] dispatch was under the sheriff’s office. Now it’s separate. We didn’t have the transportation [Mt. Adams Transportation]. Mental health was at the county, but then we’d given it back to the state to run. Economic development was bigger then than it is now. We started the vehicle maintenance fund so the depreciation on vehicles would be funded and wouldn’t be counted against the budget. That’s usually what gives, when budgets get tight, is vehicles. That year when I left is when we funded the county fair because their funding was getting cut by the state to $25,000 to that, which is still the same today. It’s never changed. There’s been a lot of change in the county. There’s a lot more landfill gas revenue going to serve county government, despite the loss of that contract. [The County lost a major landfill contract recently in the wake of increasing competition from other counties.] That was a quite a shock. And you need a commissioner who champions that, especially within the State of Washington, to maintain contracts. Sentinel: So what made you to run now?
Ihrig: My main reason was to give people a choice. I wasn’t overly pleased with
See Ron page A8
City addresses parking on Broadway
RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL
Monday night’s Goldendale City Council meeting was a short one, wrapping up in a scant 27 minutes. The only item that brought up any discussion came when Councilor Steve Johnston reported that the public works committee had focused at their recent meeting on the problem of parking along West Broadway Street.
“There was a general consensus that we would like to pursue no parking,” he said, “but it falls under state jurisdiction. We also decided it would be a good idea to approach the Washington Department of Transportation with a memo regarding what we’re trying to accomplish.”
The concern was with safety and visibility for people turning off side streets onto Broadway. Several potential solutions were discussed, including eliminating parking near the intersections, or limiting the width of vehicles that could park there.
Councilor Andy Halm said, “I think to eliminate all the parking on that street is a horrible idea. You go down some of those streets, there’s people that don’t have parking. So now the city goes in and takes parking away; are we going to cut curbs and make it to where people can park on the parking strip?”
If that was the solution, he said, the city should follow through rather than tell people who lived there that the city would forbid parking on the street and require residents to spend several thousands of dollars on curb cuts and graveling the parking strips.
“There are going to be several public hearings,” said Councilor Theone Wheeler, “and we do need to make sure every single resident who lives in those apartment complexes and homes do understand that is the thought on the table right now.”
All this may turn out moot if the Washington State Highway Department does not approve changes on that section of street, which is also a state highway.
Newhouse introduces bill on tribal healthcare
Last week, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) introduced the Uniform Credentials for Indian Health Service (IHS) Providers Act. This legislation amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act for the development and implementation of a centralized system to credential licensed health professionals who seek to provide health care services at any Indian Health Service unit.
“Due to a lack of a standardized credentialing system for tribal healthcare professionals, our Native American population is struggling to receive appropriate care,” said Newhouse. He continued, “The current
system has led to a backlog in onboarding new providers, which has caused those interested in working for IHS to pursue opportunities elsewhere. There have also been numerous incidents where healthcare professionals with histories of malpractice claims have bypassed the guardrails put in place to make sure medical professionals are just that—professionals. The IHS is receiving taxpayer dollars to fund their operation, and it is my priority to ensure those resources are not wasted. By creating a centralized system, we can establish a standard for tribes and ensure
RON IHRIG
Friends of the Library Host Book Sale
Jordan Mayberry
For The SenTinel
The Friends of the Library held their most recent book sale on July 12 and 13 in the Camplan Community Room at the Goldendale Public Library, with further community events planned soon. The sale, initially open to members before extending to the public, featured donations accumulated in their storage over the months. The event drew a strong turnout from both members and the public, attracting new members to the nonprofit.
“People donated the books; we have a room set aside for the Friends of the Library,” explained Friends President Kathleen McKinney. “It takes a lot of work to sort the books that are donated. We have Friends of the Library volunteers sorting them, and they’ve done a good job.”
The summer book sale is a yearly tradition, always in the summer, with further sales planned as needed.
Since June, there have been 100 human-caused wildfires on national forests and grasslands in Washington and Oregon. While firefighters have been largely successful in putting out these preventable fires, the extremely hot and dry conditions are significantly ramping up fire danger across the region.
“We’re entering a very dangerous time period in the Pacific Northwest wildfire season,” said Ed Hiatt, Pacific Northwest Assistant Fire Director for Operations.
“Mother Nature turned on the oven for a week in local forests and now we’re preparing for the potential of dry lightning and gusty winds across much of eastern Oregon.”
Local responders are
“We for sure have one in July, then determine as we go. We had a spring one this year, and we have also held one on Halloween,” McKinney noted. Book sales are not the only events hosted by the Friends of the Library. They also organize a summer ice cream social, which draws an even larger crowd annually. McKinney described the challenges faced in recent years: “We have an ice cream social, and we’re bringing that back. Because of COVID, we did not do it for a couple of years, but we brought it back last year, and we’re doing it this year. It’s a long-standing tradition.”
Last year’s ice cream social attracted “about 250 people and featured live music,” as McKinney estimated. Despite setbacks, the Friends have found success in their community activities. “We did struggle through the COVID years, but we continued,” McKinney said. The nonprofit will celebrate a
closely tracking these deteriorating conditions where any new wildfire will have the potential to spread rapidly and burn intensely right from the start. And as firefighters are responding to lightningsparked fires a preventable, human-caused wildfire can limit availability of needed engines, dozer, helicopters, and other resources.
“It’s as dry as I’ve ever seen it,” said Hiatt. “From the Canadian border to southeast Oregon, multiple areas have broken daily records for forecasted fire intensity. Bottom line? If it starts, it’s going to burn hot and it’s going to burn fast.” Fire managers are anticipating dangerous dry lightning storms to arrive Saturday and last through
special anniversary this year and has ambitious plans for the coming months. The book sale events are expected to become a permanent establishment in the Camplan Room. “We’re looking to have a bookstore open [in our current space] during library hours,” McKinney outlined.
The official opening of the bookstore will coincide with a significant milestone: “This year is the 50th anniversary of the Friends of the Library. We hope to have a reception for the anniversary, along with the opening of our bookstore,” McKinney stated. In a space currently used for storage and as an office, the store will host year-round book sales. McKinney emphasized the mission of the Friends: “We’re happy to recycle books and get books to people who would otherwise not be able to buy them at retail price.”
The Friends continue to find support from a strong volunteer base who have
early Monday morning stretching from Klamath Falls north to Bend and east toward La Grande. To help limit potential humancaused starts, 13 regional national forests are now in campfire restrictions. Check locally before you visit many area national forests and grasslands.
For more news & information about National Forests in the Pacific Northwest, visit our news page at www.fs.usda.gov/ news/r6/news-events.
For the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region home page, visit www.fs.usda.gov/r6.
For more information about the USDA Forest Service visit www.fs.usda. gov.
G oldendale ’ s a ttic
This week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture
What in the world are these guys doing? Hint for those who may not be able to make out all the detail in the picture: the stuff in the thingy (not to get too technical) they’re carry-
ing is Christmas wrapping material. Paper, bows, and the like. But who are these people? When and where was this taken? What was the occasion? Well, if we knew, we wouldn’t be ask-
ing you. 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 (509773-3777), 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
July 8, 1911 – 113 Years Ago
Charles Wheeler, who passed through Lyle this week from the Camas Prairie country in northern Klickitat County, had the misfortune to have his coat eaten by a large hog, at the same time the hog consumed several bills and valuable legal papers in a wallet in one of the pockets amounting to a small fortune. Wheeler stopped near the cabin of a forest ranger, with whom he entered a conversation. During the talk, they wandered away through a pine grove, while the coat was left on a small stump. On returning, he found the pig, after having eaten the lunch in one of the pockets deliberately chewing up the garment in an endeavor to find further nourishment. In addition to the wallet, containing the money and legal documents, one of the pockets contained a pouch of tobacco and a pipe. Only the pipe was saved from the ruins.
July 16, 1914 – 110 Years Ago
Matt Crocker, who lives a half mile north of Centerville, is finishing a new barn that is built in a somewhat different style than most of the barns in the vicinity. It is a sixteen-sided structure and is 76 feet in diameter. He believes the shape of the barn gives him more room than a regular rectangular building.
July 13, 1933 – 91 Years Ago
New switchboard installed: we are pleased to draw attention to the modern features of the switchboard recently installed in the Goldendale Telephone Office. It has greater flexibility than any similar equipment and incorporates the latest features in a magneto central office. It has double lamp supervision, which is electrically perfect, reliable, accurate, and positive in operation. The brilliant glow of lighted lamps attracts and compels the operator’s attention. So please ring off at the completion of each conversation. By thus doing, you signal the operator you have completed your call or wish another number. We would be pleased to have you visit our office for further information. “So, we’ll ring off.” Won’t you? Oregon – Washington Telephone Company.
July 15, 1954 – 70 Years Ago
Sgt. Wayne Hoctor left Goldendale July 5 after spending a thirty-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hoctor. Wayne entered the service in October 1952 and expects to be discharged in October 1954. He took his basic training at San Luis Obispo, California, spending six months at that base. Assigned to the signal corps, Hoctor was sent to and served fifteen months in Korea. Wayne expects to farm with his father after his discharge.
July 16, 1964 – 60 Years Ago
Those who missed the FFA barbecue and picnic missed a lot of fun and sociability in addition to the delicious barbeque beef. The FFA members started the fire in the pit about 9 p.m. Saturday and kept it going until about midnight when they put in the meat. It was well-cooked and very tasty. After the dinner, the fun began. Races for all, sack races, egg throwing, nail driving, and many other oldfashioned picnic games. In this day of TV and multi-million-dollar productions and fabulous entertainment, it seems nice to see a crowd enjoying the simple old fashioned picnic games.
July 11, 1974 – 50 Years Ago
A new half-million-dollar grocery store opened in Goldendale Saturday morning. Dehart’s Market opened its doors for business in its new location on East Broadway at 8 a.m. By noon, Ray Dehart reported about 200 customers had passed through the checkout stands, and the parking lot was full. “We built the store so that we would have enough room to effectively compete with the prices offered in Yakima and The Dalles,” Ray said. “We felt that there was too much business leaving town, and we thought we could do something about it.” The DeHarts also operate grocery stores in The Dalles and Hood River. They owned and operated the Hometown Market on Main Street from 1971 until the present store was completed.
—Richard Lefever Klickitat County Historical Society
Answer to last week’s Mystery Picture
Points to ponder:
Bartender: “Would you care for a beer?”
Customer: “Like it was my own mother.”
A man walks into a library and asks for a book on time travel. The librarian looks at him and says, “Didn’t you just bring it back?”
My doctor tried kidnapping for a while, but no one could read the ransom notes. Today I saw a baby with a bib that said, “My mom put my cape on backwards.”
I broke a light bulb today. Seven years of bad ideas?
This picture has been colorized. By mid-morning last Wednesday, we already had all three people in last week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture identified. It seems that quite a few readers recalled these people, who were local Goldendale Middle School teachers. The gentleman on the left is Walt Woolley; he was an 8th-grade teacher who taught history, science, PE, and was also a coach. Tom Woolley, his son,
said he was a teacher for 25 years. The lady in the middle is Gladys Klatt, also an 8th-grade teacher. Mark Doubravsky had a very fine story about helping her up after a fall in her classroom. The lady on the right is Mrs. Ruth Kaiser, a 7th-grade teacher. The location is the Middle School library, or as most people know it, the old high school library. The timeframes ranged from 1963 to somewhere in the ’68 to ’72 range.
OpiniOn
names, passwords, PINS, account numbers or security questions for accessing each account. And provide instructions on how you want your assets managed after your death. For example: Do you want certain accounts closed, archived or transferred? Do you want specific files or photos to be deleted or shared with loved ones? Do you want your social media profiles memorialized or deleted? Be clear and specific about your wishes.
You’ll also need to appoint a digital executor who you trust to execute your wishes after you die.
Dear Savvy Senior,
My wife and I had our estate plan – including a will, power of attorney and advance directive – drawn up about 10 years ago but have recently read that our plan should include a digital will too. What can you tell us about this?
Almost 80
Dear Almost,
If you or your wife spend much time online, adding a separate digital will document to your estate plan that provides a list of your digital assets would be extremely helpful to your loved ones when you die, not to mention it will help protect your privacy. Here’s what you should know.
Do you have digital assets?
Savvy Senior, Jim Miller
The term “digital assets” refers to personal information that is stored electronically on either a computer or an online cloud server account that belongs to an individual. Anyone who uses email, has a PIN code protected cell phone, makes online purchases, or pays bills online has digital assets.
Digital assets generally require a username, a password, or a PIN to access and can be difficult if not impossible to retrieve if someone is incapacitated or passes away.
Creating a digital will (also known as a digital estate plan) will help your loved ones access your electronic devices and online accounts more easily so they can manage your electronic affairs, according to your wishes, after you’re gone. This in turn will also protect your digital assets from hackers or fraud, which can happen to dormant accounts after you die.
How to write a digital will
Your first step in creating a digital will is to make an inventory list of your digital assets, which includes everything from hardware to email accounts. Here are a few categories to help kick-start your list:
• Electronic devices (computer, smartphone, tablet, external hard drive).
• Digital files (for photos, videos or documents)
• Financial accounts (like bank and brokerage accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency).
• Bill paying accounts (utilities, mortgage accounts)
• Social media accounts (like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn).
• Email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc.).
• Cloud-storage accounts (like Google Cloud, iCloud, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive)
• Movie or music streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Apple Music)
• Online purchasing accounts (like Venmo or PayPal)
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
From a legal perspective, you should know that most states have enacted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), which legally recognizes digital estates. This law gives your personal representative or executor legally protected access to your online accounts.
Once your digital will is written, store it with your other estate plan documents either in a fireproof safe or file cabinet at home, on your computer hard drive, with your estate planning attorney or online at a reputable digital estate planning service like Everplans.com or Clocr.com. But make sure your executor knows where it is and has access to it.
Also remember to keep your digital will updated regularly when you create any new digital accounts or change passwords.
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.
Letters from the community
He is amazing
It’s amazing. A U.S. military uniform that fits the same as it did 50 or so years earlier.
Dr. Ogden has always amazed me. But this really stands out—wearing the same uniform on his last day of practice as on his first!
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.”
Ken Margraf Goldendale
primary in August and the general election in November.
A millimeter. A microsecond. A vote. They all make a difference.
Lisa Evans White Salmon
“For No Reason At All” I particularly found offensive.
David Weston Dallas, Oregon
A true leader
A millimeter. A microsecond.
That is all the difference it made on Saturday between the life and death of a presidential candidate. There is little that I can state at this point that the news and social media channels have not already stated. There are many questions I hope will be answered in the next few days for the health of our nation, including the question: is this the best we can do?
When applied to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, the answer is a simple and resounding “Yes!” For a man (or woman) in the midst of the stresses of federally motivated lawfare to stand after being grazed by an assassin’s bullet, to stop the actions of multiple Secret Service agents so he could look at the crowd and acknowledge the people, this is the true sign of a leader. This cannot be scripted or planned; an emotional response in the time of crisis is genuine and reveals the true nature of a human being.
Ballots will be arriving for the
We have a choice
As reported in the Seattle Times, the Washington State Republican Convention in April 2024 “called for an end to all mail-in voting.” And it approved this resolution: “We oppose legislation which makes our nation more democratic in nature.”
Then in May, from reporting in the Centralia Chronicle, the Washington State Party and Mainstream Republicans of Washington filed a suit to prevent the attorney general from disclosing the potential financial impact of three ballot initiatives that would reduce state revenue by billions—money earmarked for public education and climate projects.
The national Republican Party approves the Supreme Court ruling in Roe vs Wade ending a woman’s constitutional right for reproductive freedom. They also oppose IVF procedures and contraception medications. They support Project 2025 plan to put into effect if their candidate Trump gets elected. BBC News explains a few key items on that agenda:
1. Proposes the entire federal bureaucracy, including independent agencies like the Justice Depart-
Guidelines for Letters
ment, be placed under direct presidential control.
2. Eliminate Civil Service-qualified selection and protections for thousands of federal workers who then would be replaced with political appointees (therefore loyal to the president, not the country).
3. A drastic overhaul of the FBI and elimination of the Department of Education.
4. Slash federal money for research and investment in renewable energy and carbon-reduction goals.
With the Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices recently ruling the president has “absolute immunity” for “official acts” in office, this gives a Republican president the power he needs to implement Project 2025 and behave as a dictator, above legal accountability.
Where are you, a citizen voter, in the Republican plan of limiting democracy, ending reproductive freedom, living under authoritarian power? Left out of the picture, unless we use our most powerful tool—our vote.
There is a party that supports reproductive rights, addresses climate change, builds new infrastructure, creates new jobs, protects Social Security and Medicare, and believes in the rule of law—the Democratic Party. Use your vote for your freedoms, economic opportunity, security, and continuing our Constitutional government.
Steven Woolpert White Salmon
Letters to the editor should be original and comment on an issue. Deadline for letters is noon Monday for the same week’s paper.
Requests to keep letters exactly as they were written when published cannot be honored. All letters are subject to editing for grammar, spelling, clarity, and/or brevity. There is a suggested length limit of about 300 words, though more may be allowed if there are fewer letters.
Unsigned letters (including anonymity requests), letters with fictitious signatures, letters with multiple signatures, or letters to public officials are not accepted. Please keep the tone of letters free of rants, wild speculation, unsubstantiated claims, or pointedly personal comments. Letters that go overboard in these directions may be refused publication.
Writers must include name, city/town of residence, and phone number for verification purposes. (Street address is not required, only city or town.)
Good luck,Joslyn
HOMETOWN Bowdishawardedscholarship
We are verysaddened to
Nickolas Bowdish was awarded the $1,250 Martin and Grace Forry Memorial Scholarship at the Washington State Grange Convention held at Colville, Washington, inJune Hejustcompleted his first year at Walla WallaCommunityCollege studying Diesel Technology & Soil Sciences and looksforward tocompletingthecoursein2025
qualify as a legacy family, you must document five or more generations of Grange service at the local, state, and national levels Only 33 families from across the nation qualified for this recognition in 2018, and the Bowdisheshonorablyrepresented the entire west coast
beensetupatboththeTrout
Several community candy table, and Ialsosaw membersgatheredonMain some having a tug of war Street last Thursday even- Jim Roth served as grill ingtogivearousingsend-off master and the event was toGlenwoodcowgirlJoslyn very well attended Thank Arnoldassheheadedtothe you, Homemakers, for putNationalHighSchoolRodeo ting this all together and Finals in Rock Springs making such a wonderful Wyoming Lots of friends communityevening andfamilyweretherewaiting,includingoneofJoslyns hear of last weeks passing grandmas who rode her ofMicahAndersonofTrout horse right up Main Street Lake Many in Glenwood to give Joslyn a cowgirl-to- know and love the Andercowgirl send-off That’s a sonfamilyandhaveaskedif pretty cool grandma, for therearewaystheycanhelp sure Somefriendshadcad- At this time, Carissa and diesforJoslynfullofsnacks thegirlsaren’tuptohaving and otheressentialsforthe visitors, but accounts have longdrive
funds to help with their grocery and fuelexpensesduring this hard time Our Glenwood News
Mary Pierce deepest condolences go to Carissa and her girls and all of Micah’s family and
This summer, the Pio-
He is the son of Dean and Susan Bowdish of Centerville Nickolas graduated from Goldendale High School in 2023, co-sharing the position of valedictorian During high school, he was very active in the FFA program He plans to return to the Bowdish Family Farm when he completes college The family specializes in quality alfalfa hay, wheat, and beef cattle that is grass-fed antibiotic,andhormone-free Nickolasisbothamember and officer in Centerville Grange No 81 The Bowdish family was recognized as a Grange LegacyFamilyatthe2018 NationalGrange ConventioninStowe,Vermont To
This heat has been hard
One caddie had a little LakeStoreand Trout Lake stuffedgoatwithashirtthat Station for people to leave saidGOAT [Greatest of All Time] Joslyn’s reserve champion finishes in Goat Tying and Breakaway Roping at this year’s State Finals were whatsent her onto Nation- friends als once again Yes, in our eyes Joslyn you are the neer MemorialCommunity GOAT and havemade us Church has continued its all very proud Now we’re regular schedule of an 11 allanxiouslyawaitingnews am start time Thereisno of results of each round SundaySchoolduringthese for each event for Joslyn, summer months, but there Peyton Sanchey, and Blake isChildren’sChurchduring Masden Veryproudofthem the worship service Jennifer Hallenbeck said they The Homemakers made enjoyedafunweekwiththe the Meet and Greet on the kids at the recent SCUBA evening of July 13 a won- VacationBibleSchool derfulevent whereold timersandnewresidentscould on many but sureseems to gather in beautiful, shady be great for the ranchers Hoodenpyl Park to social- getting their hayin I hope izeoveradelicious potluck everyonecan stay cooland dinner The kids loved the enjoy these beautiful sumbouncy house and cotton mermonths
SCC releaseshonor roll for Springquarter 2024
rectionalCenter
The Goldendalestudents onthehonorrollare:
StephanieBasilan
CharlesHicks
RaeMcMillan
Martin and Grace Forry, benefactors of the scholarship Nickolas received, were a local Goldendalecouplewithan interest in helping young people obtain an education Grace Forry started hercareerasa19-year-old teacher riding her horse totheone-room schoolin Appleton, Washington, and retired as superintendent of the Klickitat County Schools system Martin was a meat cutterandlivestockbuyerby tradewhospentalifetime working with young people They started a scholarshipfund shortly after their only child died in infancy
This scholarship is availabletoanystudentin KlickitatCounty whoisa memberofaGrange
Emma Olson of Centerville on honor roll at SFCC
EmmaOlsonofCentervillehasearnedaplaceon the Spokane Falls Community College honor roll for Spring quarter 2024 Students mustearn a GPA of 3.0 or higher to beonthehonorroll
Col-
Community leges of Spokane is a 12,300-square-mile state community college district that includes Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, and six ruraleducation sites,
Amazinglyaffordablejewelry Spokane Community Collegelists1,941students on its honor roll for the 2024Springquarter, which ended in June The honor rollliststhosestudentswho achievedagradepointaverage of 3.0 or above Three students from Goldendale areontheroll
SCC is one of two community colleges within the CommunityCollegesofSpokane district It is known for its programs in career and technical training as well as its apprenticeship programs butitalsooffers associates degrees includingthosethataretransferready for those going into universities SCC serves more than 15000 students annuallywithamaincampus in east Spokane, five other locations in rural areas of northeastern Washingtonandaprogram intheAirwayHeightsCor-
Community Colleges of Spokane is a dynamic 12,300-square-mile state community collegedistrict thatincludesSpokaneCommunity College, Spokane Falls Community College and six rural education sites, serving residents in Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman, Ferry and parts ofLincolncounties
CCS offers high-quality academic transfer, careertechnical and eLearning degree and certificate programs; business and communitytraining;andadult literacyprogramsthroughout northeastern Washington, enrolling approximately 34,000 students a year wwwccsspokaneedu
servingresidentsinPend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman Ferry and parts of Lincolncounties CCSoffershigh-quality academictransfer,careertechnical and eLearning degree and certificate programs; business and communitytraining;and adult literacy programs throughout northeastern Washington, enrolling approximately 34,000 studentsayear wwwccs spokaneedu
CONTRIBUTED
NICKOLAS RECEIVES SCHOLARSHIP: Nickolas Bowdish has
Martinand Grace Forry Memorial Scholarship
Klickitat
This 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 find an advertising package that works for your needs and fits your budget! We offer online ads as well— with over 14,000 unique hits on our website each month, this is a great way to reach even more people.
WEEKLY AND MONTHLY EVENTS
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Goldendale United Methodist Church, 7-8 p.m...Monday
• Popup Café – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. lunch and support group at the Masonic Lodge on Columbus until further notice. Café is open weekly on Monday and Wednesday.
• Programs for Peaceful Living Domestic Violence Victim support group via zoom Mondays 10 a.m. 509-773-6100 or 509493-1533.
• 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 at 1106 S Roosevelt in Goldendale is open from 10 - 11:30 am for grades 5 – 8. Come enjoy indoor and outdoor activities such as soccer, volleyball, dodge ball, pickleball, table tennis and more. Meet new people and make new friends. For updates, check out our website at epicyouthcenter.org.
• 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
• Goldendale Photo Club 2nd
Tuesday of Every month 105 West Main 6 p.m. Jeanne Morgan 10-5 M-F at 509-772-2717
• KC Fair Board Meetings 1st Tuesday of the month is a Workshop, 3rd Tuesday of the month is a Board Meeting.
• Soroptimist International of 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.
• Learn and Play! – 2 – 3 p.m. every 4th Wednesday of the month at the Goldendale Library. Fun and learning for you and your little ones!
• Family Fun Night at the Goldendale American Legion on Broadway St. 4th Wednesday of every month at 6:30
• Free Youth Cooking Classes: 4-6 p.m. every other Wednesday, beginning Sept. 20th, 2023 – June 2024 at The 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.
• Beginning Quilt class 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. call 3C’s Fabric to sign up 509-261-2815
• Trivia at the American Legion – (on hold through summer) 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
• 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
• EPIC Youth Center at 1106 S Roosevelt in Goldendale is open from 10 - 11:30 a.m. for grades 1 - 4. Come enjoy indoor and outdoor activities such as floor hockey, balloon volleyball, dodge ball and more. Meet new people and make new friends. For updates, check out our website at epicyouthcenter.org
• EPIC Youth Center at 1106 S Roosevelt in Goldendale is open for all youth from 6:30-8 p.m. for indoor and/or outdoor activities. Meet new people, have fun playing soccer, dodge ball, gaga ball and more! For updates, check out our website at epicyouthcenter.org or follow us on Facebook.
• 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 Events
Community Library Staff. Free book for each participant provided by the FVRL Foundation.
• Goldendale Grange #49 Meeting – 4th Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at 228 E Darland in Goldendale
• New Parent Support Group – 10 a.m. weekly 120 W. Stuben at Mugs Café in Bingen. Join us for community support at our weekly meeting at Mugs Cafe in Bingen. We meet in the back room. Children are welcome & encouraged. There is a small play area to keep little hands busy. We’d love to see you there!
• Bingo - on hold until the end of Summer. Goldendale American Legion Thursdays - card packets go on sale 6:30 p.m. game starts 7 p.m. Food available
• Bingo - High Prairie Community Center, 2nd Thursday of every month, doors open at 6, starts at 6:30. Questions contact 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
• 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
• Beginning Quilt Class 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. call 3C’s Fabric to sign up 509-261-2815
• 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
• 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
• 3rd Saturday Dinners –Bavarian Deli 5 – 7 p.m. Local Beef brisket $25
• Family Storytimes 10:30 –11:30 a.m. 1st Saturday of the month @ the Goldendale Library FARMERS MARKETS
Goldendale Farmers’ Market 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. every Saturday at the Goldendale Chamber office on Broadway.
Lyle Farmers & Crafters Market 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. July 14,& 28, August 11 & 25, and Septembr 15th. Located at the Lyle Community Center.
White Salmon Farmers’ Market 4 - 7 p.m. every Tuesday in Rhinegarten Park
High Prairie Farmers Market 701 Struck Road, Lyle (between Centerville & Lyle), the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. June – September. Vendors, please contact Bea Wilson 509-6370584.
MUSEUMS
Presby Museum 127 West Broadway in Goldendale. Open May 1 - Octiber 13 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Closed on Mondays. Visit https://www.presbymuseum.com/or call 509-773-4303 for more information.
Gorge Heritage Musuem 202 E Humbolt Street in Bingen. Call the Museum at (509) 493-3228 or email ghm@gorge.net for hours. Twin Bridges Museum 403 Klickitat Street in Lyle. Open every Saturday from June through September from 12 - 5 p.m. Visit https://twinbridgesmuseum.wordpress.com/ Carousel Musuem 4 East Market Street in BickletonOpen Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Sunday 12 - 4 p.m. Visit https://www.bickletoncommunity.org/carousel-museumor call 509-896-2007
Whoop-N-Holler Museum 1 Whitmore Rd in Bickleton. Open Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 509-896-2582
Maryhill Musuem of Fine Art 35 Maryhill Musuem of Art Drive, Maryhill. Open 120 a.m.5 p.m. March 15 - November 15. https://www.maryhillmuseum. org/visit
COMMUNITY EVENTS
July 1 – 31,2024, Klickitat School District Summer Meal Program: 12 - 1 p.m. Klickitat School 99 School Drive. Klickitat School District will be providing FREE summer meals to youth age 18 and below. Contact Superintendent Kendrick Lester at 509-369-4145.
July 17, 2024, Summer at your Library Midsummer Party: 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the Goldendale Community Library on Burgen Street.
July 19, 2024, Science Heroes: Adventures of the Lost Treasure: 11 – 12 p.m. at the Goldendale Community Library on Burgen Street. This is an immersive experience that combines storytelling with STEM exploration. Contact the Library for more information.
July 20, 2024, Hope Neighborhood: 4:30 - 6 p.m. 115 E Main Street, Goldendale at the Goldendale Senior Center. Please join us for guest speaker Patty zink, God uses a broken woman - Hope for the addicted. Fellowship starts at 4:30, speaker at 5:00. Sponsored by Hope Neighborhood.
July 20, 2024, Broken Spur Rodeo Playdays: 5 p.m. 149 Willis Road $30 per horse/Rider, helmets required. Call 541-9939560 for the details
July 20, 2024, Block Party: 100 block of West Allyn in Goldendale. starts at 6. Sponsored by Goldendale Pride Alliance.
July 21, 2024 Mt. Adams Classic 4-H Classic Buckle Series: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 50 Snowden Rd, White Salmon Judge Tracy King. Contact Pat Shamek 541993-9560 or Martha Parsons 509637-4016 or visit WSU’s Klickitat County Extension website https://klickitat.wsu.edu
July 22 & 23rd, 2024, Hunter Education Class: Contact Chris Venema for information 509830-7372.
July 23, 2024, Homeschool Hangout: 1 - 2 p.m. at the Goldendale Community Library. This is a drop in program with hands on activities designed for at home learners and their caregivers. Meet other homeschool families and explore our library homeschool resources.
July 23, 2024, American Red Cross Blood Drive: 12:30 - 6 p.m. at the Community Grace Bretheren Church in Goldendale.
July 24, 2024, Beef Counts /2nd Harvest food Distribution: at the Goldendale High School. July 24 - 28, 2024 Broken Spur Rodeo Association Sum-
mer Camp: 149 Willis Road call 541-993-9560 for details. Come have fun with your horses and your friends. Jan Wallace clinician, helmets required. Cost is $150.
July 24, 2024, American Red Cross Blood Drive: 12 - 5 p.m. at Skyline Hospital in White Salmon.
July 24 - 28, 2024 Broken Spurs Rodeo Summer Camp: 149 Willis Road, Goldendale. Come have fun with your horses and your friends. Cost is $150. Jan Wallace clinician. Helmets required. Contact Pat Shamek 541-993-9560 or visit Broken Spurs Rodeo Association on Facebook.
July 25, 2024, Gorge Women in STEM Fair: 4 - 6 p.m. at Daubenspeck Park 413 West Humboldt St. Bingen. All staff at Gorge Tech companies with middle school-aged kids are invited to come and enjoy this event! Join us to hear from Women in STEM careers Women in STEM and tech industry jobs will host at booths set up in the park. The hosts will have an easy, fun and tech-oriented hands-on activity for the kids, and will also share a brief presentation on how their present careers evolved from their education in STEM, and/or what working as a woman in the tech industry is all about. Booth activities, food and drinks will be provided!
July 26 & 27, 2024 High Prairie Firehouse Sale: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Old Red Firehall 704 Centerville Hwy. Work party is 7/25 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Yard Sale Fundraiser for High Prairie Fire District #14. Donations & volunteers welcome.
July 26 - 28, 2024 Canyon Days: Kiddie Carnival & Free hot dog dinner Friday night at the Community Center, 6 - 7:30 p.m. Outdoor movie starts at sundown. Saturday starts with breakfast at the firehall from 7 - 10 a.m. The 5K registration starts at 7:30 with the run starting at8 a.m. Market with live music and kids activities starts at 9, 3 on 3 basketball at 10, Parade at 11, ca show at 11:15 and the Rubby ducky race pickup at 6 p.m. Sunday the co ed volleyball tournamet starts at 9. .
July 27 – 28, 2024 W.E. Rock Crawl Western Series Round 3: 290 Pipeline Road, Broken Boulder Farm, Goldendale. Gates open at 9 am. both days. Bring your chairs! Food and rest rooms are available on site as well. There will be off-road vendors and lots of spectators and teams. The sport of World Extreme Rock Crawling or W.E. ROCK is all about challenging driver and machine. Competitors build amazing vehicles to drive over the most extreme obstacles our world renowned course designers can dream up. Conquering large boulders, steep climbs, rock ledges and massive drops, all while avoiding strategically placed cones. Depending on the class the competitors choose to compete in their vehicle must follow some basic build rules and safety requirements. The rules are designed to keep each class fair while allowing the builder freedom to engineer the most competitive vehicle they can.
July 26 - 28, 46th Annual Klickitat Canyon Days: Kiddie carnival and free hot dog dinner Friday night 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center. Saturday starts with the Fire Department fund raiser breakfast from 7 - 10 a.m. 5K walk/run registration starts at 7:30 a.m, run starts at 8 a.m. Market with live music and kids activities from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 3 on 3 basketball starts at 10 a.m. Parade is at 11 and the Car show starts at 11:15. Rubber ducky derby pickup 6 p.m. On Sunday the Co-Ed volleyball tournament starts at 9 a.m. Vendors needed, email klickitatcanyonday@gmail.com. or call Ivy
Carpe at 541-788-4557.
July 27, 2024 Takohachi Q Ensemble: 11 a.m 228 E Darland Goldendale at the Goldendale Grange Hall. Come experience the enchanting world of Japanese culture through captivating storytelling and traditional music in this family-friendly program. Sponsored by Ft Vancouver Regional Library.
August 1, 2024, 2024Summer Party: 5:30 - 8 p.m. at Zepher Inc, 310 Larch St. in Bingen. Get ready for the gorge tech community’s best party of the summer! The 2024 GTA Summer Party is August 1st at Zepher in Bingen. Enjoy Murphy’s brisket while enjoying cold beverages and chatting with GTA members and friends. It’s the best way to network… in a relaxed summer atmosphere! Register here https://www.eventbrite. com/e/2024-gta-summer-partytickets-934541547927
August 3, 2024, Annual Back to School Bash: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the Courthouse Lawn in Goldendale. Free school supplies will be given away. Drawing for 3 free backpacks. Food, games, inflatables and school supplies. Come join the fun! This FREE event is organized by Goldendale Church of the Nazarene 509-7734216.
August 6, 2024, National Night Out: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. on the County Courthouse lawn in Goldendale. Fun for the whol family! Come meet our local law enforcement
August 8, 2024, Free Sports Physicals: 1 - 5 p.m. at the Goldendale High School cafeteria. We’ve teamed up with KVH to bring you sports physicals, Impact Testing and the option to purchase your GHS ASB all in one place! All GHS & GMS athletes need to complete their registration for 2024/25 athletic participation in Final Forms! https:// goldendale-wa.finalforms.com YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS! (Any student-athlete 7 - 12 grade who will be participating in athletics this coming school year is required to have a current physical on record with GSD.) *Authorization form signed by parent / guardian is required.
August 8, 2024, Friends of the Goldendale Library Ice Cream Social: 5 - 7 p.m. at the Goldendale Community Library.
August 14, 2024 End of Summer at your Library party: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the Goldendale Community Library.
August 14 - 18, 2024, Klickitat County Fair and Rodeo: visit https://www.klickitatcountyfair. com/ for the full schedule.
August 27, 2024, Homeschool Hangout: 1 - 2 p.m. at the Goldendale Community Library. This is a drop in program with hands on activities designed for at home learners and their caregivers. Meet other homeschool families and explore our library homeschool resources. August 31, 2024, Bickleton Community Day: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. downtown Bickleton. Join us for our annual community day. There will be a meet and greet for all types of classic vehicles, , live music, arts and crafts, a pie sale, flea market, and vendors. Information call 509-896-2007, vendors call 509-896-2113. September 7, 2024, Splendour of the River: 5 - 9 p.m. at the Maryhill Museum. Support Maryhill Museum’s mission to ignite a journey of educational enrichment in the Columbia Gorge! Together we hold the keys to an enchanting future. Tickets available and sponsorships available at www.maryhillmuseum.org or 509-773-3733. September 6 - 8, 2024, Huckleberry Festival: Details to follow September 17, 2024, Full Harvest Moon Celebration: 7 - 9 p.m. at the Field of Stars Boutique 514 S Columbus
Goldendale.
Rollaynne Marie Bentley passed away on June 24, 2024, at her home in Goldendale. Rollaynne was born on February 11, 1957, in Portland, Oregon, to parents Rolland and Clara (Lake) Bentley, and was 67 years of age at the time of passing. She lived a portion of her youth in Gresham, later graduating from Condon High School. She then attended Oregon State University, graduating with honors and receiving a degree in Anthropology, followed by a Master in Education. In her work, she traveled extensively for her work in insurance. Following the death of her sister, she lived in the Portland area for most of the rest of her life until a recent move to Goldendale. She was an avid reader, a writer, and loved history. She loved her
pets all throughout her life and rescued many. Having never had children of her own, her pets were her kids. She was also a surrogate parent and grandparent to many. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rolland and Clara Bentley; and sisters Maxine and Mary. She is survived by her sister, Patricia Boyce, and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held on July 20 at 1 p.m. at the Goldendale Church of the Nazarene, with a meal following.
Arrangements are under the direction of Columbia Hills Memorial Chapel, 300 W. Broadway, Goldendale, (509) 772-2636. Visit www. gardnerFH.com to share a story or leave a note for family.
A Cool Place
Jordan Mayberry For The Sentinel
During the recent heatwave, the Church of The Nazarene in Goldendale opened its doors as a cooling center, providing much-needed relief to the community. “We would have people come in at the hottest time of day, and we’d provide them with water, snacks, and games,” described a volunteer.
Attendance grew over the two-day period. “Two to three attended on the first day, and on the second day, it was more like four at a time, so we had more people overall,” the
same volunteer noted.
Many different churchgoers volunteered in rotations throughout the day. The cooling center operated during the peak heat hours, from noon to 7:30 p.m. on the first day and until 8:30 p.m. on the second day. Due to the heat, they extended their hours, staying open later than initially planned as temperatures didn’t fall until much later in the evening. One community member, whose air conditioning failed at the height of the heatwave, found refuge at the cooling center. “She spent a long time here and came back the next day. She said it made her
day,” shared a friend of the church. Pastor Greta Sines emphasized the importance of such initiatives, stating, “The summer’s not over yet. If we get temperatures of 100 degrees or more again, we’ll host another cooling place event.” She mentioned being in communication with Father’s House Fellowship, which is also considering opening a cooling center if extreme heat returns, ensuring multiple options for community members in need. This marks the second year that the Church of The Nazarene has hosted a cooling place during a
heatwave. They also provided a warming place during last winter’s cold snap.
“Last winter, we provided a winter place,” Sines shared. Another churchgoer praised Sines’ efforts, saying, “We think Pastor Greta is great at putting these things together.”
Reflecting on the event, Sines expressed her thoughts on community efforts: “It’s awesome to see how a community can work together when we have the time to talk.” She concluded, “Taking time to connect with people is worth a lot.”
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
Cypress Creek Renewables (Cypress Creek) has announced its support of STEM-related educational opportunities through a nearly $10,000 donation made to the Goldendale School District.
The donation funded a field trip for Goldendale Middle School students to attend the YMCA Camp Dudley Outdoor School this past May, where they
enjoyed various activities that promoted the power of teamwork and environmental awareness.
“We were happy to provide a donation to the Goldendale School District to support STEM-related activities for students,” said Lauren Altick, manager of external affairs at Cypress Creek. “Opportunities such as the one at Camp Dudley facilitates
an appreciation for nature and the sciences, and we are thrilled that the students had such a positive learning experience.”
Cypress Creek is dedicated to the communities in which it operates through its Good Neighbor Commitment, of which STEM education is one of the core focal areas.
“Due to the excitement and amazing learning
experiences, our staff is working hard to recreate similar experiences for next year’s students to enjoy,” said Kristin Garrett-Lummio, Principal at Goldendale Middle School.
“Thank you for jumpstarting a new tradition for our 5th and 6th graders at Goldendale Middle School.”
Church Directory
GRACE BRETHREN
Community Grace Brethren
1180 S Roosevelt, Goldendale. Pastor Aaron Wirick. 509.773.3388. Sun Svc 10:30am in person. Tue: Youth Group 6-8pm. Wed: AWANA 2pm GoldendaleGrace.com. Watch us on Facebook Live: Facebook.com/GoldendaleGrace "Learning - Living - Loving JESUS."
LUTHERAN
Christ the King Lutheran S Columbus & Simcoe Dr, Goldendale; Vicar Ann Adams. 509.773.5750. Worship services 10am Everyone welcome.
METHODIST - United Methodist Columbus & Broadway, Goldendale; Pastor Kendra Behn-Smith; 509.773.4461. Service times: Worship 9:00 ; Adult classes 10:45 ; 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. NON-DENOMINATIONAL
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; Pastor Michael Smith; 509.773.4381
Centerville Community Church 508 Dalles Mountain Road, Centerville, WA 98613; 509-637-3068; Pastor Patti McKern; pastorpatti53@gmail.com; Sunday Worship Celebration 10am "Find refreshment for your soul and friends for your journey."
Father’s House Fellowship
207 S Klickitat Ave, 509.773.4719. Basic Bible Fellowship 9:30am; Worship 10:30am; Tue. 6:30pm Freedom Now Meeting. “A Gospel-Centered Church.”
what’s happened in the last three and a half years. I wanted to give people the chance for change.
Sentinel: What is the change you’re offering?
Ihrig: The change I’m after is where the commissioners work together, where they can agree to disagree, but then they don’t condemn each other. We don’t all agree. We’re always going to have disagreements. But it’s how you disagree. And on top of that, it’s treating people with respect. It just doesn’t seem like there’s been a lot of that there. It’s pretty simple, treat people with respect.
Sentinel: Do you see anything you would change in terms of policy?
For example, on solar.
Ihrig: I’ve heard people say no solar in the county. I don’t believe solar is our answer to our power problems. I feel strongly about property rights— until it affects your neighbor. There are places where solar could go, and maybe there are places solar can’t. It should be more of a case-by-case review, how does it impact, or how does it not impact?
Sentinel: There are those who say they think you’re strongly pro-solar.
Ihrig: I can’t say I’ve ever really sat down and talked to the people supporting solar. Well, I’ve had one conversation with them months ago. We had a cup of coffee. My concern that I need to understand is what keeps EFSEC [Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, a state agency that answers to the governor on allowing energy sites
they didn’t want economic development. If you have economic development, it raises home values. If you raise home values, you’re going to raise the value of land, and they’re going to have to pay more taxes. In their opinion, they wanted all of us folks to move out, which would devalue the land and make lower property taxes. And then they could reacquire the land. This has been going on for 30 years. Solar will devalue the land. Lower people’s property rates, lower their taxes, people will move. They can reacquire property. So that’s the purpose of no economic development.
Every time Goldendale would come forward with a project, waterline, sewer line, whatever that qualifies, they would be told no. You can confirm with the past mayor and the past city administrator they’re the ones who told me this. They were always given the runaround by Dave McClure from [County] Economic Development. No funding ever got to them. In my first year, I pushed to help them with their wastewater treatment project over here and pay for the designing and engineering. I was able to get $250,000 over there. But that’s the only money I’ve able been able to get to this direction. Bingen gets a water line. White Salmon gets a this or that, and all the money’s over there. The number one place in the county that deserves funds is an impoverished area, a blighted area. It says right in the bylaws; I’ve pointed it out. It’s to serve poor and economic communities. Show me an area of blight in downtown Bingen. I’m trying to change that mentality and make sure the people in this district get served as well as the people in the other districts. For instance, right now I’m having the battle of a lifetime over each department under the board of commissioners having at least one employee who does not go to lunch from noon to 1, have somebody at the front desk to greet customers, to take an application, to take a message, to take a water sample. We have one department that doesn’t
to be built] from coming in and trumping everything. And then what keeps the governor from trumping EFSEC like he did in Benton County? What the county does may or may not make any difference to EFSEC, and EFSEC is not bound by anything the county says or does. I don’t agree with State government doing county planning. It’s taking it out of local hands. It’s really about where does it get to the point where impacts the neighbors? And there are different levels of impact. When I served as county commissioner, somebody started a dump on their property that wasn’t permitted. That’s impacting your neighbor. I’m drawing the line there. Do I want to see 1,200 acres of solar in the middle of Klickitat County? Not really. But is there something else that works? I don’t know. And there may not be.
Sentinel: You have a considerable history as an elected official.
Ihrig: This is my 17th year as an elected official. Three years as mayor, four years as county commissioner. I served seven years on the hospital [Klickitat Valley Health] board before, and now I’m back on the hospital board. So this is my 17th year. I believe I’m a known quantity. People who live here know who I am, know where I’m at. And I have institutional knowledge. Things have changed, but I know how things were done. I know it doesn’t help when a decision’s made to go condemn your
have anybody doing that, Public Health. They have 30 employees. They’ll work in White Salmon, but there’s like one or two in this office—because we don’t make them come over here. And nobody will make them come over here. So are the people of Goldendale who probably need the most public health services getting served? No. I keep getting complaints from well drillers who can’t drop off water samples. I walked past that office yesterday. The office was closed, not taking water samples all day. It shouldn’t be that hard to arrange your schedule. Sentinel: So you mentioned solar. Let’s go back to that. Christopher: I’m not opposed to all solar. I’m opposed to your tax dollars being subsidized on solar. We as a county don’t take your tax dollars and give it to solar companies, but the federal government does. So I’m against federal subsidies for green energy projects. If it can stand on its own, fine, do it. But I believe any project—and I don’t care whether it’s a solar project or a pump storage or a motorcycle track or industrial building or whatever—should be sensitively cited and put in an area where it doesn’t do that much harm. Everybody has private property rights. But when your private property rights start affecting your neighbor’s financial welfare, that’s where your proper rights end. Do whatever you want on your property, just don’t hurt him. And if you put in a solar farm in that area, all the houses in that area that have to look at that solar farm will go down in value. The number one place where most people have wealth is in their home. If you diminish home value, you’re diminishing everybody’s wealth. Then you can look at the public health and safety side of it. If that fire that rolled through the Knight Road area and those solar panels were there, we’d have lost Pine Forest. If there’s a fire that rolls underneath the solar panels, everybody downwind gets evacuated. Firefighers won’t go in because of the toxins coming
other people. I had a state rep tell me one time, “Just remember, people who don’t agree with you today may be your allies tomorrow.” It was a good piece of advice.
Sentinel: So what about the jail? That will probably be resolved by the time you would take office if you win.
Ihrig: I would hope so. A lot of people ask me about that, and I say, “I’m not driving that bus.” I wish they would’ve had more of a discussion up front on the process and all the stakeholders, all the users. They could have had a sit-down workshop and had a discussion about it. And even with that, it might still be where it’s at today. I know the commissioners always have more information than the general public, even now with the lawsuit. [The reference is to a tort action filed against the County by the family of Ivan Howtopat, the young man who hanged himself in the jail.] For me to try to second guess—I prefer to keep it in-house and outhouse. [Laughs.] That’s always been my saying, in-house versus outhouse. Your internal employees have more ownership. But saying that, it’s going to be a process that you’ve got to look at.
Sentinel: The Sheriff keeps calling for a public vote on the fate of the jail, even though the Auditor has said Klickitat County is not a charter county and therefore can’t put an initiative on the ballot.
Ihrig: When I was a commissioner before we
off the flames on the panels. Then you have even a bigger problem with lithium ion batteries. Those people would be evacuated for weeks if a fire happens. I’ve tried two moratoriums on battery storage to send it to the planning commission to get sensible siting based on population density criteria. What areas are safe, what areas are not safe? I’m not saying no solar in the whole county. I’m just saying you probably shouldn’t have it in some areas. We haven’t updated comp [comprehensive] plans. The energy overlay plan hasn’t been updated. Day one I was pushing for a comp plan update. I still can’t get a second commissioner to tell the planning director to move forward. I’m telling you right now, if I don’t win [reelection], the comp plan dies. I talked about it in the campaign because you can’t update solar without updating the EOZ [Energy Overlay Zone]. Even though we now have a prohibition on solar in the Goldendale and Centerville valley, that’s one line of defense. You still need other ordinances and justification put in place to justify your actions.
Sentinel: So how about the elephant in the room regarding the County these days: the jail?
Christopher: So there was that recent State Supreme Court decision that inmates must appear in court in person. [The ruling does allow a judge to change that requirement based on circumstances.] That’s going to add a hell of a transportation expense. I believe East and West District [Courts] are going to do the same because of that Supreme Court decision. They haven’t given us a letter yet, but my guess is they will. Right now they do a lot of Zoom, and I believe they have to give the inmate the option to come to court. But if the judges say no, they will be in court. So if they [the other commissioners] choose the holding cell option, I would sit down and show where their figures are bogus. [He means the cost to the County would be significantly higher than currently anticipated.] It’s not going to be the budget savings people are saying
did an advisory vote. It was non-binding. The issue with that is, as I say, the commissioners have information that can’t be disclosed. People would be voting on insufficient information.
Sentinel: It may be speculation, but do you have a preference on what happens with the jail?
Ihrig: Where it’s moved now with the county starting a Department of Corrections—I always prefer to keep things local if at all possible. I’m opposed to shipping people to NORCOR [Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility].
Sentinel: Are there any other issues that come to your mind as really important to take a fresh look at?
Ihrig: We need to update a comprehensive plan. And I’ll keep coming back to treating people with respect. I’ve seen over time that several county employees have left before their time was up. And there’s usually a reason behind that. Over the last three and a half years, several employees have left before they had to leave or before they actually were ready to retire. That usually says there’s an issue. There are going to be people leaving, no matter who’s in office. There are going to be people leaving for the right reason. But this has become a trend.
I know the commissioners are going to have a tough time this year with the loss of landfill revenue. I think they’ll see some of those cuts for next year. Are there potential new
it will be. And it’s obviously not the humanitarian crisis that people are saying it is, either. Why do we not have a nurse in there right now today? This board of commissioners could have done that in April, in March. They could have done that if it was important. It’s a supplemental budget thing; it could have been remedied in an hour. I brought it up in the last meeting. We don’t plan on taking over possession of the jail for three to six months until we get through this whole transitioning thing. Is the health and safety of the inmates not a concern? Are we just going to wait three, six months before we get a nurse in there? And then they [the other commissioners] just talk. Sentinel: Is there anything you especially want voters to know?
Christopher: Somebody came in and asked a month or two ago what I want to be remembered for. My answer then was the same as it’s always been. You may not like me. You may disagree with my tactics. Or you may. But I hope you understand that I’m honest. Everything I tell you is the truth. I don’t lie. I don’t. I just don’t do it. It probably sounds weird to everybody because I’m aware everybody lies. But I just don’t do it. So I hope that when I tell somebody something, they may disagree with it, but at least you can respect the fact that I told you. It’s authentic. I don’t say, “Oh, yeah, I hear your pain,” and then go over here and agree with this person too. That’s just not me. I don’t pander. And every single vote I make is not for me. The only family I have here is my wife. I don’t owe anybody anything. I owe all these people out here who trusted me, voted for me. Every vote I make, I believe if they actually pay attention—which 99% of them won’t—95% of them are going to agree with me. [Former Commissioner David] Sauter told me, “Dan, I have to tell you, I really respect the fact that every vote you make is for the people.” Which was the best thing somebody said to me since I’ve had this job, which is not a fun job.
revenue sources? There’s been a discussion and legal review on doing franchise agreements. That could be a revenue source, franchise agreements. I think that’s a good thing to look at, with different businesses coming in, if they get a franchise agreement. That’s one I had heard. I was surprised last year in November when Dan voted no on the tax levy. He basically voted to shut government down. That’s what government lives on. The right question to vote on would have been, is the tax revenue the right one?
The discussion should have been whether you should increase that levy rate the 1% allowed by law or not. That should have been the discussion upfront at the beginning of the budget process. But voting no, with no explanation—I can’t say I’d ever vote against the levy.
Sentinel: Didn’t he explain that as his way of keeping his promise to the voters that there would be no impact on taxes?
Ihrig: The impact would be to shut the county government down. The right discussion is whether you should increase it the 1% or not.
Sentinel: Speaking of such things, is there any inequality in how budget cuts are distributed across the county departments in your mind? Some people are saying that sheriff’s department, for example, is getting cut more than it should be in, in relation to other departments.
Ihrig: What I’ve seen that came out said no more than a 5% increase across
pher reported the dunk tank at Community Days last weekend raised nearly $1,000. He had been one of the volunteers and noted darkly that a number of people present at yesterday’s meeting had taken the opportunity to dunk him or give money to others to do so. In the consent agenda, commissioners approved:
• An agreement between Behavioral Health and Chris DeVilleneuve for Designated Crisis Responder services.
• A petition to annex property into Klickitat County Fire Protection District No. 3.
• A letter endorsing a WDFW grant application for property acquisition.
• A Washington State Allocation Agreement III between Kroger and Klickitat County for the 4th opioid settlement.
• A public meeting to be held in the Board of County Commissioners meeting room Tuesday,
BILL
from page A1
vetted in an efficient and proper manner.”
Background
To provide patients with the highest level of care at its federally operated facilities, the IHS, which is responsible for providing direct medical and public health services to members of federally recognized Native American Tribes, reviews and verifies professional qualifications of clinicians through a process known as credentialing and privileging. Currently, IHS requirements are spread across multiple, sometimes conflicting, documents, making it challenging for officials to efficiently credential incoming providers.
The lack of a centralized credentialing system has negatively affected IHS recruitment efforts by delaying the process in which doctors get credentialed. The slow pace of the process is a result of the lack of a centralized credentialing system and has caused doctors who have been recruited to work in these facilities to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Further, existing IHS
the board, regardless of the department. What I see is, they give everybody a number across the board. Here’s the number, stay within these means. So when departments come back above that, then yeah, they’re told no, we have to stay within this realm. And this will be an interesting process with the budget this year. With supplemental budgets, where’s that money coming from, that supplementary budget money? If the county doesn’t have funds left over from the year before that, they could put towards that or have to take it out of reserves. Where are the funds coming from if you don’t stay within your budget? It doesn’t grow on trees. And some supplemental budgets are just because that’s how it was budgeted. Take the fair board [Ihrig is past president of that board]. We have X amount of dollars we budget. Now we carry it over X amount of funds every year. So we did the new building at the fairgrounds; we budgeted originally $800,000 on budget. Well, the building’s going to be $1.3 million, so we had to do a supplemental budget of 1.4 to match what we’re actually going to spend. It was no financial strain to the county because the funds were there. It was just budgetary. Some of the county government, when they go over budget for whatever reason, it’s a question of where are those funds going to come from if they’re not reallocated somewhere?
July 9, 2024 at 1:00 PM to consider approval of a Short Plat requested by Fred and Juanita Olson in the Husum vicinity.
• A public meeting to be held at the same time as above to consider approval of a boundary line adjustment requested by Cascade Investments & Patti Newson Estate in the Wishram vicinity.
• A contract amendment between Public Health and Department of Health (DOH) adding statements of work for several programs.
• A five-year agreement with Lyle Fire Department District No. 4 to purchase fuel from the county road shop due to the local gas station closure.
• A two-year service contract with Apollo Mechanical Contractors for maintenance of Klickitat County HVAC systems at $76,538.80 per year.
—With reporting by Lou Marzeles
oversight is concentrated at the local level and does not routinely include headquarters’ reviews of clinicians’ files for adherence with IHS requirements. Until it ensures clinicians are appropriately screened, IHS risks hiring or retaining clinicians with performance, health, or other issues, potentially affecting the quality of care provided to patients and putting them at risk. The IHS has also documented various incidents in which health professionals with histories of malpractice claims have passed screenings that failed to identify performance, health, or other issues. The lack of a centralized, uniform, service-wide credentialing system has been identified as a cause. This bill would require the establishment of a standardized system to improve the efficiency of the credentialing process, maintain health professional quality and quality of care, as well as ensure that health professionals at IHS facilities are vetted thoroughly.
Lauren SchuSter
For The SenTinel
“It was pretty much peaceful-like, up there. Wind rustled the tops of pine trees, the sun beamed down on grassy slopes that ran the water from the springs, and it was warm where the wind didn’t blow. As you speculated on the number of cattle who would find good feeding on those sunlit slopes all summer, you might have felt a longing to spend the days with them, up there in the quiet of Nature. Of course, you could see the valley below, and pick out a metal barn roof here and there to tell where home was, and if you had strong binoculars you might have an idea what was going on, so you weren’t so very far from home after all—just higher. And the world was spread out before you, big as all outdoors.”
This was written by Pete May for Bud, Alda, Karl, and Deena Amidon’s Field Day on June 26, 1976, and referenced Potato Hill, located in the Simcoe Mountain Range.
Fast forward 48 years to Saturday, June 29, 2024, to Pace and Virginia Amidon, who are the next generation of Amidons to celebrate their own Klickitat County Cattlemen of the Year Field Day. The day started with coffee and doughnuts at Karl and Deena Amidon’s. In 1972, Pace’s Dad (Karl) joined the operation. Karl and Grandpa had used a breeding program that crossed
Cattleman of the Year
Angus with Durham and Hereford bulls. Some were home-raised and others purchased from Al Matsen. Grandpa Bud gave the reins to Karl in 1980 who continued to raise Herefords up until the 80’s, before converting to Simmental and Angus. Karl married Deena Green in 1974 and raised three children, Pace, Kadee, and Devon, all of whom were active in 4H. He continued to farm the home place and rented 1,400 acres from Ron Richardson out on Horseshoe Bend Road on which he ran 50 head of cows year-round until 1998 when it was sold. In 1995 Karl purchased Ed Shamek’s farm directly north of the home place and in 1998 purchased an adjoining property from the Reads that consisted of 320 acres. This expanded the home place to a little over a thousand acres of wheat, alfalfa, and about 60 head of cattle.
Guests enjoyed a tour
of the cattle working facilities, viewing 4H steers, and one of Karl and Pace’s biggest updates–a project they worked with the Conservation District to detour water from the feedlot pens and flooding to a designated ditch. The tour looped out to Horseshoe Bend Road to a leased piece of ground where 50 heads of fall-calving cows stay year-round. The herd is mainly Black Angus with Shorthorn, Simmental, and other old-fashioned breeds still in the lineage.
The spring-calving cows are fed either at the home place or in a couple of rented pastures all winter long. Calving usually starts in February and continues through May.
All this is done in the corrals at the home place with the help of Kadee, her daughters, Dilynn and Jordynn, and sometimes help from other family members or friends like Stan Marlow who has helped work and build so
Ogden awarded Quilt of Valor
Goldendale’s Dr. James Ogden was one of eight service members awarded a Quilt of Valor at the 2024 Washington State Grange Convention in Colville, Washington, on June 29. Awardees at this year’s convention were all active in different branches of the service during the Vietnam War.
Quilts of Valor’s mission is to honor service members and veterans touched by war in comforting and healing quilts. The Quilts of Valor Foundation has awarded a Quilt of Valor to over a quarter of a million service members and veterans
touched by war since 2003. Recipients of a Quilt of Valor receive a three-part message from the honor: thank you for your service, for your willingness to lay down your life for our country; thank you for your sacrifice in serving our nation; may this quilt provide healing, peace, and comfort. While attending Pacific College, Ogden was awarded a Navy Scholarship. After college and with a degree in Optometry in hand, he served at Charleston, South Carolina, Naval Shipyard Dispensary doing eye exams for shipyard workers and active and retired military
personnel.
The Grange has supported the Quilts of Valor Foundation as part of its Community Service Program. Recipients need not be Grange members to be awarded a Quilt of Valor. Ogden has been a Grange member since he attended as a baby in a basket with his mother. He currently serves at the Washington State Grange level as musician. Fellow members of Klickitat County Pomona Grange No. 5 were pleased to be present at the award ceremony and celebrate with him.
—Claudine Lefever
much of the corral. All of this farming has only been possible with the help of Dave Morris who has been an integral part of our farming operation for over 10 years.
Cows are then turned out on spring grass until June before being trucked to Mt. Adams. In early July, 50 head are trailed first to a pasture in Firwood and then on up to Potato Hill. Roundup starts the end of September-October when they are all brought home, given vaccines, and turned out on pasture. In 2003, with the help of Neil Kayser, Pace and Karl began taking cows to Mt. Adam for summer grazing as well as up to the Simcoes. Pace bought cows in 2006 from George Rohrbacher and continues to rent George’s farm/ pasture which consists of fall calvers.
Calves are usually shipped around the first part of November when the calves are sorted off their
mothers that morning and then the cows turned out on fall pasture. All the larger steers and nonreplacement heifers are loaded on semi-trucks and sent to various feedlots or ranches throughout the mid-west or Pacific Northwest to be finished out.
Replacement heifers are kept at home and usually bred to start calving two weeks before the main herd.
Pace has been a longstanding member of the Klickitat Livestock Growers and has held many different chairs, the current one being treasurer. Pace married Virginia in 2011 and they have since welcomed four children.
He has been active in coaching AAU basketball and Little League with his children. Pace, Virginia, and the children are active in the local Catholic Church, helping in many aspects.
Laney and Trent are members of Klickitat 4H, raising steers, and both have won steer merit awards along with cousins, Dilynn and Jordynn. These steers are born and raised on the ranch. The hope is that children, Laney (11), Trent (10), Orrin (7), and Grant (4) will continue on to be not only the fifth generation of ranchers, but the fourth generation here in the Klickitat valley. The day ended at Pace and Virginia’s home for a potluck lunch. Valley Ag and Wayne Pearson sponsored the Tri Tip roast, cooked to perfection for the main course. Mr. Pearson also entertained the crowd by launching an anvil and playing Cow Pie Bingo with paper plates. Plates were sold for $10 each, and the proceeds went to Goldendale’s Senior Center.
Laney, Trent, Pace, Virginia, Grant and Orrin Amidon stand with their sign outside of their home.
Potluck lunch at Pace and Virginia’s home. The Tri-tip roast was donated by Valley Ag from Prosser, WA.
The kids crew. From left to right Jordynn Herrington, Laney Amidon, Whitney Schuster, Trent Amidon, Westin and Lenzie Sizemore, Grant and Orrin Amidon, Jordynn Herrington, Hadlee Beierle and Alea Sanchez.
C LASSIFIEDS
LOOKING for a new job?
Browse employment ads from throughout the Gorge on our classified websites: thedalleschronicle.com hoodrivernews.com whitesalmonenterprise. com
7/8 GRADE TEACHER POSITION
Centerville School District is accepting applications for a full time, 7th/8th grade teacher. We are a small district located in South Central Washington. This rural K-8 school is a unique opportunity for educators to teach all subjects and an ideal location for a motivated, strong academic based educator to practice their craft of teaching. The school has strong family and community support that provides an ideal culture for teaching and learning. Applicants must have a valid Washington State teaching certificate with minimum elementary or K-8 teaching endorsement. Open until filled. Applications available online at: www.centervilleschool. org or by contacting Rose Dove, HR at rose@centervilleschool.org, 509-7734893 Letters of interest should be addressed to Dr. Ann Varkados or Rose Dove by July 19, 2024.
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
Helping Hands Against Violence in Hood River offers hope, safety and support for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Lead the Prevention Program, increase awareness of Helping Hands services, supervise volunteer projects, shelter support as needed. Send cover letter and resume to Serra@helpinghandsoregon.org
DENTAL ASSISTANT
Dr. David S. Perry’s office is seeking a dental assistant. Experience is preferred, xray certification a plus. Will consider training an energetic, personable candidate. Monday-Thursday. Please email or drop by your resume and cover letter. davidscottperry@gmail.com
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.
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
Cleaning
COLUMBIA HOME MAINTENANCE Cleaning - Painting and Windows FREE ESTIMATES
541-380-1962
OR#60590
WINDOW & GUTTER CLEANING MOSS REMOVAL
(All screens and windows washed by hand including high windows)
Commercial, Residential, New Construction, Sticker Removal and Vacation Rentals Will Travel Anywhere in Washington & Oregon
REASONABLE RATES
Serving the Gorge for Over 15 Years REFERENCES AVAILABLE
CALL TODAY FOR FREE ESTIMATES TORRES WINDOW CLEANING
OREGON Construction Contractors Law requires that all those who advertise remodeling, repair, or construction services be registered with the Construction Contractors Board. Registration means contractors have bonds and insurance on the job site. For your protection, be sure any contractors you hire are registered. Contact the Construction Contractors Board in Salem at 503-378-4621. To verify a contractor’s CCB license
through the CCB Consumer Website, visit: hirealicensed-
•“ChasingShadows:My LifeTrackingthe Great White Shark”by Gregory Skomal
Shake up family meals witha versatile superfood (Family Features) It’s easy to toast withcoldbutter fall into a dinnertime rut cooking the same meals with the same ingredientstimeandagain When your family is in search of a delicious way to shake things up inthekitchen considernew ways to cook favorite dishes without completely rethinkingthemenu
Replacing tired ingredients is an easy solution when classic recipesbecomeblandandboring which is a perfect reason to try cooking with 4th & Heart Ghee
As a 1:1 substitute for butter or oil its spreadable texture makes it easy to use in baked goods grilled dishes andbeyond
• High smoke point: When oil smokes, it becomes a trans fatty acid With a smoke point of 485 F, ghee lets you cook away without worrying about high temperatures
•Naturalsourceofbutyricacid: Butyric acid naturally occurs in your gut and in ghee, helping your body absorb nutrients from thefoodsyoueat
This superfood can do all the things butter can do like make toasttasteawesomeandtrickyour kidsintoeatingbroccoli but with additional benefits For example it maintains its molecularintegrity at high temperatures, can be com digested by lactose intolerant people supports weight loss improves digestion and reduces inflammation
Consider these benefits of choosing 4th & Heart Ghee instead of butter:
• Grass-fed and pastureraised: Its packed with naturally occurring fatty acids and CLA, whichcanimproveguthealthand biochemistry
•Spreadable and shelf-stable: Ghee is shelf-stable for up to 12 months and is best kept in the pantry This means you never havetoscrambletobringbutterto room temperature quickly when baking or risk mangling your
A Fine Job
Itisconstructionseason
The building we live in is 40 years old, and it was recently discovered that water was finding itswaybehindthebrick Thisrequiressomevery loud repairs that are not expected to be finished untilfall
tolift
“That’sacomplicatedjob!”Itoldthem
It is Thats why they dont let Brad come out here anddoit himself!”the foremansaid Brad(I havetoassumeit wasBrad) duckedhishead
cheese (optional)
Preheat ovento 400F
•Buttery taste: Ghee made in the traditional style provides a delicious, light and buttery taste, perfectforthisSweetPotatoBowl with Cilantro Turmeric Ghee and Lime Its ideal for a light lunch and smoked PaPrika; add salt or dinner as its bursting with and PePPer t0 taste- Spread vibrant flavors and wholesome sweet potatoes evenly on baking sheetandroast25-30minutes,or
ingredients
In large bowl, toss cubed sweetpotatoes with1tablespoon turmeric ghee, cumin powder,
Tofindmorebenefitsofcooking until tender and slightly crispy on with ghee along with recipe edges,turning halfwaythrough inspiration, visit fourthandheart Cook quinoa according to package instructions Once Sweet Potato Bowl with cooked fluff with fork and set Cilantro, Turmeric Ghee and aside Lime
In medium bowl, mix cooked quinoa with black beans, red onion and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Drizzle half the lime juice over quinoa mixture and stir to combine Add salt and pepper, to taste
Usually,I am just findingmy wayto the coffee potaround8:30 Butnowtherearemenstanding on scaffolds, jackhammering bricks at 8 am, right outside my window If I open the drapes I canseetheirboots
There is no one to blame The men doing the work (and they all seem to be men) are very considerate They are just loud very loud and they workfromMondaythrough Friday
Probably because of this construction I’m noticing it more in my neighborhood There is a house nearby whose steps have looked terrible for a long time The residents were using a side door to get in But an energetic man with a cigarette permanently positionedon his lower lip is now fixing those steps in record time Under the crumbling concrete, he told me, were bricks mucholderthanthehouseitself
“Howold?”Iasked Hehadnoidea Buttheyhadbeenscavenged from a building long gone before the house was builtin1850.1thoughtthat was remarkable
“I hope you find some gold coins buried in there! Itoldhim Hedidnotseemhopeful
“Do youdeservethis Brad?”Iasked Oh, he does! the foreman answered before Brad had a chance to Brad looked as if he was usedtothis
I walked down the same street yesterday The steps in front of the 1850s house were almost finished It was threatening rain and the man with the cigarette was working to get the last of thecement workdone
“Great job!”Ihollered
Helookedat thesky Gottagetitdonequick!
The city guys had also almost finished “It looksterrific! Isaid
The foreman was nowhere to be seen There was just Brad (I assume it was Brad) looking rather pleasedtobegettingthecredit Youusedalltheoldstone? IaskedBrad
“Yes It will makeit more ”Bradsearchedfor theword, historical!
“Can I take your picture?” Brad looked embarrassed and asked another man holding a shovel (who was also not the foreman) if this wasOK
“Sure!”saidthemanwiththeshovel
SoItookBrad’spicturewiththenearlyfinished stairs
“Thankyou!”
1/4 cup fresh over top Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and crumbled
In large serving bowl top quinoa mixture with roasted 1/4cup redonion finely diced sweetpotatoes Drizzleremaining cilantro turmeric ghee over bowl chopped, plus additional for Squeeze remaining lime juice garnish,divided 1 lime juice only 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat feta or goat cheese if desired
Soft-rayed food fishes
Sharppunches
Egyptiancobras
14)Accelerator’sopposite
Anothersetofstairswasbeingfixedbythecity crewand whiletheywerenot workingasquickly as the gentleman with the cigarette, they were doingafinejob
“We’re keeping allthe original stone,”a fellow, who was acting like the foreman said So we havetoreplacethe wholefoundationbeneathit”
These steps were also well over 100 years old andtheoriginalstoneconsistedof verylarge blocksofsandstone,whichtookatleasttwomen
38)Tooktheprize
39)Preposition in poetry
40)Fromdaysofyore 41)Friend in waror peace 42)Common responsetoa marriageproposal
Itsconstructionseason And whileitseasyto get annoyed by the noise and the detours and the mess, its good for me to remember that all thisworkisbeingdonebypeople whohavejobs todo And,by andlarge,Ithink theydoaheckof afinejob Especially Brad
To see photos check out CarrieClassonAuthor on Facebook or visit CarrieClasson com
1) Chocolatesubstitute 2) Martiniorb 3) Peace people 4) Femalefortune-teller 5) Monasteryhead'sjurisdiction 6) Khan had plenty 7) She's unmarried inScotland
8) RunnerattheWinterGames
9) Ski resortnamedforatree
10)Caesarserver
11) Boardwalk perpendicular
12)Kill,asadragon
15)Addone'ssupportto
18)Tape measurepart
22)Ancientsymbolicletters
24)Visitunannounced
26)Whatmedieval men usedwhen they wentclubbing
28)Billyofrock music
29)Callfalse
30)Hypnotist'sdirective
31)Well-done'sopposite
32)Sourceofmanycoughs
33)Jumping-offspot?
36)Likesomewindsor panels
37)Medicine-freemedicine
41)Bacteria thatneedoxygen
44)Chefsimplements
45) Break in friendly relations
47)Indiancoin
48)Anti-floodembankments
49) Plentysore
50) Razzle-dazzle
51)Takesthebears'advice
-Carrie Classon
If every mountain has been climbed and nearly every inch of dry land on Earth has been explored, what is left to discover? There’s two answers: The oceans, and what lies below the surface like caves and caverns. Could you put on a hard hat and rappel down a rope into a 750 foot deep hole just to see what is there? In 1898 a 16-year-old cowboy named Jim White did just that. Jim was riding across the desert when he thought he saw smoke. He decided to get closer and what he found was thousands of bats streaming out of the mouth of a huge cavern. A few days later he went back, and with no safety gear he began to explore what would come to be known as Carlsbad Caverns.
Caves and caverns are not the same thing even though some people think they are. All caverns are caves but not all caves are caverns. Did I confuse you? Both are openings in rock formations but a cave can be as small as your fist. A cavern is a large room and some are enormous! The most famous natural caverns in the world are in New Mexico. If someone 250 million years ago had gone to see these caverns they would not have been there. What they would have found was an inland sea and reef full of life. As the sea receded, the reef was covered by sediment and soil. Fault lines, earthquakes and erosion, along with water, natural acids, and a lot of time created the caves. So far 120 caves have been found in the area Could there be more?
Carlsbad Caverns
national park
Every cavern is individual in its characteristics. The most amazing things to see are stalagmites, stalactites, soda straws and other speleothems. As water slowly dripped into the caves, minerals built up, creating a magical world. Most of these were created over thousands of years, but if you look closely you may still see a drip or two making its way down from the ceiling, building new formations. The largest cavern in Carlsbad is called the Big Room. You can fit almost seven football fields in this space! The Big Room is almost a mile and a half long.
Visitors who go to Carlsbad Caverns may see animals that live nowhere else but the National Park, like the Carlsbad crickets. The most famous animals at the park are the Brazilian free-tailed bats. At dusk, 200,000 to as many as a million bats swirl out into the desert night to hunt for food. Visitors to the park sit quietly to watch a black cloud of bats come out of the caverns. The bats are nocturnal and sleep in the caverns during the day, then leave to hunt at night. Bats use echolocation. Echolocation is the ability to use sound to navigate and find their food.
In a remote part of the National Park a new wonderland was discovered called Lechuguilla Cave. People knew about the cave as early as 1914, but in 1986, real exploration began. So far, the cave has been mapped to be 1,604 feet deep and 149 miles long. Photos show a cave system that can only be imagined. Not just anyone gets to go inside Lechuguilla. Only scientists, Park Service employees, surveyors and special teams get to go in because it is the perfect place to study the rock formations inside of the Earth’s crust. Some people have moved to New Mexico just to be able to spend more time in Lechuguilla. Could you do that
Time
how caverns like Carlsbad are formed by watching these videos on our website!
Bats leaving Carlsbad at dusk. | NPS photo by Nick Hristov
Jim White
Carlsbad Caverns National Park Activity Book by Little Bison Press Carlsbad Caverns by Sara Louise Kras
