Headlines & History since 1879 Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2026
Vol. 147 No. 16
$1.00
County gets major focus for lawsuit Rodger Nichols For The Sentinel It was a fairly quiet meeting of the Klickitat Commissioners on April 14. The county did get statewide attention when opponents of Senate Bill 6346, the so-called “millionaire’s tax,” decided to file their lawsuit against it in Klickitat County Superior Court. In the morning workshop session, Klickitat County Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Cranston reassured commissioners that her office was not involved in the lawsuit, nor was the county a named party in two separate lawsuits challenging the “sheriff’s bill” that would allow a committee appointed by the governor to remove duly elected sheriffs. It is generally believed that the Citizen Action Defense Fund chose Klickitat County to file the case in order to bypass the politically liberal King County courts for a venue potentially more favorable to their arguments. The
fact that former Attorney General Rob McKenna is representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is no doubt bound to generate some more media coverage locally. In the formal afternoon session, commissioners proclaimed April 19- 26 as National Volunteers Week. Commissioner Todd Andrews read the proclamation, which said, in part, “Each and every day, volunteers make a difference in our libraries, neighborhoods, schools, churches, faith-based organizations, community and civic groups and government agencies. Volunteers are an invaluable resource that are at the heart and soul of our cities, counties, and nation.” But the main event of the afternoon was the update from Klickitat County EMS District No. 1 Chief Nate Herbeck, operating the ambulance service in the county. He took over as chief in November 2024 and became permanent chief in January 2025. It’s a big responsibility.
“We are consistently busy,” he said. “As you know, we have a large county. We ran 2,756 calls last year. They range anywhere from Mount Adams to out past Roosevelt or Glenwood. We have a significant response time.” At the beginning of 2025, he said, the district added what he called “a half car or a day car,” which was a wise choice. “It’s not specifically a transfer car, but it helps,” he said, “As long as it doesn’t rain, it takes five hours to go from KVH, pick up the patient, go to Portland, drop off the patient, come back. It’s a five-hour trip, and in bad weather, you’re looking at six to eight hours. So it helps significantly, because we can have the half or the day car take the first transfer. Then we still have three ambulances in service.” He said the district worked to spread transfers out through the day to maintain an active 911 service as much as possible. And, unlike many agencies or depart-
ments, Herbeck said, the district has a full staff. “I’ve worked extremely hard to get our staffing up to par,” he said. “Currently, we have 22 fulltime and 10 part-time EMTs and paramedics. We have all of our spots filled. It’s been that way for about six months. I think the entire district is moving in the right direction. I’m happy about where we’re at and happy with our employees. They work hard.” Following the massive 20-item consent agenda the previous week, this time commissioners approved just four: • Awarding 2026 Historical Preservation Grant funds • Contract and contract bonds for the 2026 annual striping program, RN 642-26 • A contract amendment to the Klickitat County Health Department Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program • Amendment No. 9 to the Carelon Behavioral Health participation agreement
City hears on housing rental help Rodger Nichols For The Sentinel
Contributed
CANDIDATES: Three people will be interviewed this week to succeed retiring Goldendale School District Superintendent Ellen Perconti. The three are, top to bottom: Dr. Andie Webb, Don Strother, and Dr. Ryan Anderson.
Superintendent candidates in interviews
Three finalist candidates to succeed retiring Goldendale School District Superintendent Ellen Perconti have been named and will be interviewed on April 28, 29, and 30 at the Goldendale High School cafeteria from 6 to 7 p.m. Each evening will feature one finalist. Candidates will share a brief introduction and respond to a series of questions that reflect themes gathered from community input. To help ensure a thoughtful, fair, and consistent process for all candidates, community members are invited to submit questions in advance by April 25. Submitted questions will be reviewed and used to develop a common set of questions asked of each finalist. This approach allows the community to hear how each candidate responds to the same topics, while still ensuring that community voice is meaningfully reflected in the discussion. Following each forum, community feedback will be shared with the School Board to help inform their decision. Here is the link to submit questions: https://tinyurl.com/2n7ts96e. The three candidates are: Dr. Andie Webb currently serves as Superintendent of the Kahlotus School District (2023-present). She previously served as Director General/Superintendent of Bahrain Bayan School and as a Curriculum Director in the Yakima School District, where she supported district wide curriculum, instruction, and professional development. Across these roles, she has led work in strategic planning, instructional systems, and district operations. Earlier in her career, Dr. Webb served as a principal at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, as well as an assistant principal and Career and Technical Education (CTE) director, and began her career as an agriculture education teacher. She holds a Doctor of Education and a Master of Education from Washington State University, along with a Bachelor of Science,
See School page A6
The Goldendale City Council breezed through several subjects in a 40-minute meeting on April 20. The majority of the meeting was taken up with update from the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority, which serves Wasco, Sherman, and Hood River counties in Oregon and Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington. Executive Director Karen Long said the agency provides several key services to Goldendale, including rental assistance. “Here in Goldendale, we serve about 110 households,” she said. “Our average payment is between six and seven hundred dollars per household per month, so it’s about 60 to 70 thousand dollars that’s going directly to
private landlords in the city of Goldendale every single month.” The agency owns 24 properties with 435 low-income housing units in its five-county service area, but only seven units in Goldendale. Jonathan Lewis, who is Goldendale’s representative on the Housing Authority board, said they hoped to add to that total, as large-scale county developments on the horizon will exert tremendous pressure on the local housing market. “We could see steelworkers at a pumped hydro place taking up all the affordable housing in Goldendale pretty quickly and driving the costs up,” he said, “So looking at some resources that we have to try and get in front of that is super important.” The Authority also offers firsttime home buyer education, one-
on-one counseling, limited down payment assistance, foreclosure counseling, minor home repair programs, and community land trust models for homeownership. That last program reduces costs to the homebuyer by having a public trust own the land so that the buyer only pays for the home. In other business, Fire Chief Noah Halm reported receiving a new grant. We were awarded a little over $16,000 for outfitting our Humvee
that we’re getting put together,” he said. “That will purchase a pump, a tank, and a hose reel.” And Police Chief Mike Smith had a mixed report. On the positive side, he said they were able to fill the last opening in the department with a new hire, who will be able to start once he’s completed the state academy training. On the negative side, a lucrative deal for a new patrol car
See City page B1
Missed filing your taxes? You’re not alone Lou Marzeles Editor If the tax deadline came and went and you didn’t file, you’re in good company. Every year, millions of Americans either request extensions or miss the filing deadline altogether. Tax professionals say it’s a common situation—one that can usually be resolved without major consequences, especially if addressed quickly. “People tend to panic, but the most important thing is to take action,” said one regional tax preparer. “The worst thing you can do is ignore it.” The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) encourages late filers to submit their returns as soon as possible, even if they are unable to pay the full amount owed. Filing matters more than paying One of the most important points for late taxpayers is that filing and paying are treated differently. The IRS generally imposes a larger penalty for failing to file a
return than for failing to pay taxes owed. That means submitting a return—even without full payment—can significantly reduce the overall cost. “There’s a misconception that if you can’t pay, you shouldn’t file,” the preparer said. “That’s exactly backwards.” Tax experts recommend a few immediate steps: • File your return as soon as possible. Electronic filing is typically the fastest and easiest option. • Pay what you can. Even partial payments can reduce penalties and interest. • Keep records. Make sure you have documentation for income, deductions, and credits. For those who qualify, the IRS offers free filing options through its website. Many tax software programs also remain available after the deadline. For taxpayers who owe money but can’t pay it all at once, there are still options. The IRS offers payment plans, known as installment agreements, that allow individuals
Contributed
WHAT NOT TO DO: Missing your tax filing doesn’t create a lost cause, but there are definitely some things to avoid in fixing the problem. to pay over time. In some cases, taxpayers may qualify for a temporary delay in collection or a reduced settlement. Interest and penalties may continue to accrue, but entering into an agreement can prevent more serious enforcement actions. Don’t ignore the problem
Experts say the biggest mistake late filers make is doing nothing. Unfiled returns and unpaid taxes can eventually lead to additional penalties, collection efforts, or liens. By contrast, taxpayers who file and commu-
See Taxes page B1
Local Authors Panel coming to Library The Goldendale Library hosts a Local Authors Panel this Saturday, April 25, from 10 to11:30 a.m. Several authors from Goldendale and nearby locales will be in attendance to join in a panel discussion and a question-and-answer session. The panel discussion will include: • How did you get into writing • Describe the writing process • Editing experiences • Publishing experience • Marketing experience/tips • Speak about your books,
short excerpt Some of the authors attending include (information is from their provided bios): Ellender Knight is fascinated by the ephemeral and loves dancing with its contemplation in the grounded steps of reason and curiosity. A fantasy/science fiction author, Ellender’s work can be described as “character driven with a literary tilt.” Her first novel, Children of Stone, Children of Ashkaron Book 1, was released last November and is the first step in a set of inter-
connected universes that she will spend at least the next decade in unveiling. You can find her (and a free goodie!) at https://ellenderknight.com. MJ Greenway is a novelist and writer of character-driven short fiction. Her latest cozy mystery short stories (The Merryville Mystery Series) are set in a fictional town inspired by Goldendale. In addition to mysteries, she’s written thriller, YA, and romance books. Learn more at: https://mjgreenway.substack. com/
Kathy Watson is a chef and author. But she wasn’t always. Before opening her two restaurants and writing her first books, she spent 20 years as a journalist and public relations executive. Orphans of the Living is her debut novel. In her previous life, she was press secretary to the Oregon State Senate Democrats and director of communications for two state agencies. She was also editor-in-chief of Oregon Business magazine for six years. In 2004, she said goodbye to all
See Authors page B1