SERVING ALL OF KLICKITAT COUNTY
Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
Vol. 143 No. 9
$1.00
Council meeting focuses on library content RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL
LOU MARZELES
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: At a meeting Saturday night at the Goldendale Grange, candidate Loren Culp (right), running for 4th Congressional District representative against incumbent Dan Newhouse,said the district needs someone who will support the values of former President Donald Trump. Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer, left, opened the meeting with introductory remarks, followed by Undersheriff Tim Neher (center) who spoke on his bid to become the county’s new sheriff in this year’s election. Songer plans to retire at the end of his current term.
Culp tells crowd of meeting with and endorsement by Trump LOU MARZELES EDITOR Loren Culp ran for governor of Washington, lost in an election he said was rigged against him, and now is running for U.S. Congress, hoping to secure the seat currently held by Dan Newhouse in Washington’s 4th Congressional District. After redistricting, Klickitat County is now in that district and will vote in it in the election this year. Culp was in Goldendale Saturday night for a campaign talk held at the Goldendale Grange. A small but enthusiastic crowd welcomed him as he talked about his campaign, mostly juxtaposed against Newhouse, who Culp said is a RINO (Republican in Name Only) whose vote to impeach Donald Trump was a disgrace to the Republican Party. “He’s a piece of garbage,” Culp said of Newhouse. “He’s got to go.”
Culp surprised the crowd when he asked, “Would anyone like to hear about my trip to Mar-a-Lago?” Culp recently went to the Palm Beach resort, currently the former president’s home, by invitation of Trump. “I got a phone call,” Culp recounted. “A woman on the phone said, ‘Is this Loren Culp?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘Please hold for President Trump.’ I told my wife; she said, ‘Put it on speaker.’” Sure enough, it was Trump. The former president slightly mispronounced his name, calling him “Lauren” rather than “Loren.” That hardly mattered. “‘I want you to know I’m endorsing you 100 percent,’” Culp recalled Trump telling him. Then Trump asked if Culp had any questions. “‘Yes,’ I said. ‘What took you so long?’ ‘Well, I’m doing it now,’ he told me.” Culp explained he subsequently got an invitation to come to Mar-a-Lago for a meeting of can-
didates Trump has endorsed with the former president. “We had to make some quick arrangements, and I had to cancel some events,” Culp said, adding it was worth it. “There were about 200 people there,” he said. “We met some good people.” Saturday’s Goldendale event began with a prayer, the singing of the national anthem, and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by introductory remarks by Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer, who then introduced Undersheriff Tim Neher. Neher gave what could have been a kickoff speech for his campaign for sheriff; he announced his candidacy earlier this year when Songer made it known he would retire at the end of his term. Neher spoke of his extensive background in law enforcement and his educational achievements and said he would follow in Songer’s footsteps as sheriff.
The Goldendale City Council meeting on February 21 was dominated by a citizens group concerned with some of the materials available at the Goldendale Library. Councilor Steve Johnston brought the issue to the council as a presentation. Mayor Mike Canon explained to the audience that by doing so, it gave citizens there a chance to comment for more than the three minutes allotted each person during the regular public comment period, which occurs at the end of the meeting. Johnston led by saying that what he was about to say was “little short of a tirade.” “The library issue is directly related to public education,” he said. “It’s an arm of public education, which is owned and controlled by the liberal state and teachers’ unions. There is a systematic assault by a radical left wing progressive socialist Marxist fascist element in this country, with full support
of large corporations and the liberal mainstream and social media to erode and destroy our traditional values, morals, Constitutional rights, and God-given liberties.” The people who showed up at the meeting in person were part of a larger group that gathered in response to an incident reported on social media by Olga Hodges, who served as the lead spokesperson at the council meeting. She told the council that she had taken her three children to the library to print out some material, and said she had been startled by some of the books she saw: “We saw typical stuff that kind of rubbed me the wrong way,” she said. “I was not really happy with it. The first book I saw was about talking to your children about white privilege. I wondered why six-year-olds need to know about that. Along with that, I saw a book about tarot reading, and I thought, how do we wipe that out?” Then, she said, they went upstairs to the section marked for
See City page B1
TAYLER BRADLEY
CONTRIBUTED
TWOSDAY KIDS: Tuesday, February 22, 2022—22 in the second month of 2022—was “Twosday,” and Liam Michelson and Wyatt Byers at the Goldendale primary school had fun observing the “holiday.”
MORE THAN A CENTURY OF THE GOLDENDALE GRANGE: This Sunday the Goldendale Grange marks 111 years of continuous service to the community with a potluck dinner at the new Grange hall at 1 p.m., following by information on grants available through the local and state Granges.
Indoor mask Goldendale Grange marks 111 years requirements to be lifted March 11
` Goldendale Grange No. 49 will observe its 111th anniversary Sunday, March 6. The day begins with a potluck meal at 1 p.m. in the new Grange Hall. There is always plenty of food at a Grange potluck, so come prepared to let your belt out a notch or two before you’re finished. Lori Walker is baking a big birthday cake, but it won’t have 111 candles for fear it might attract the local fire de-
partment. All activities are open to the public, so come learn about the Grange. During the afternoon the Grange will provide information on “continuing education” scholarships available through both Goldendale Grange and The Washington State Grange. The Grange encourages potential applicants or their parents to attend and learn what scholarships are
available. Remember, the application process for most scholarships must be completed before April 1. You helped sponsor the scholarship program if you bought a Thanksgiving pie or one at Community Day from the Grange. The afternoon program will include membership awards, sharing history of 111 years of service to the Community and concluding with a group picture.
Commissioner blasts constituent LOU MARZELES EDITOR An email retort from Klickitat County Commissioner Dan Christopher February 23 to a constituent has many scratching their heads over his caustic and insulting language, most unusual for an elected official. The email has been circulating
widely, shared by its recipient, Greg Wagner of the anti-solar energy advocacy group CEASE. Wagner had made a public records request, which Christopher denied, saying the document Wagner requested did not exist. Christopher made clear his disdain for Wagner in his most recent response. The email was sent from Christopher’s official
county email address, with the county logo in his signature. “There is no document to provide...” Christopher said of the record being requested. (The Sentinel provides the rest of Christopher’s message here as written with the exception of correcting misspellings.) “Continuing to ask for a document that does not exist
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With declining case rates and hospitalizations across the west, California, Oregon, and Washington are moving together to update their masking guidance. After 11:59 p.m. on March 11, California, Oregon, and Washington will be adopting new indoor mask policies and move from mask requirements to mask recommendations in schools. State policies do not change federal requirements, which still include masks on public transit. “We’ve continued to monitor data from our state Department of Health,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, “and have determined we are able to adjust the timing of our statewide mask requirement. While this represents another step forward for Washingtonians, we must still be mindful that many within our communities remain vulnerable. Many businesses and
families will continue choosing to wear masks. As we transition to this next phase, we will continue to move forward together carefully and cautiously.” In Washington, indoor mask requirements will be lifted as of 11:59 p.m. on March 11. This new date does not change any other aspect of the updated mask requirements Inslee announced last week. Masks will still be required in certain settings including health care, corrections facilities, and long-term care facilities. The Washington State Department of Health will be issuing new guidance for K-12 schools next week.