HEADLINES & HISTORY SINCE 1879 Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2024
Vol. 145 No. 14
$1.00
Jail closure vote roils commission, sheriff LOU MARZELES EDITOR The Klickitat County Board of Commissioners Friday voted to close the county jail by April 12, setting off a flurry of reactions from both supporters and detractors of the decision. The board’s vote was two to one, with Commissioners Lori Zoller and Jacob Anderson voting to close and Commissioner Dan Christopher dissenting. Zoller and Anderson made impassioned statements for the need to close the jail, while Christopher’s disagreements had to do with the speed of the decision and what he called a lack of sufficient examination of the issue. Critical factors in the rapid decision were the suicide last year by Ivan Howtopat in his cell in the county jail. He hanged himself by tying a sheet to an exposed vent that was missing a cover; the Howtopat family filed a tort action against the County for $20 million. More recently Paulette George, a woman incarcerated in the jail for almost three months, suffered horrific bodily distress while in the jail (see The Sentinel’s story at tinyurl.com/2yp6pzwh.) Zoller and Anderson opened the special meeting Friday with emotional commentary. “As the board chair and lead for this proposal,” Zoller began, “I put aside most of my work for some time now, as has my assisting staff, to dedicate time to look at every angle of this most multifaceted problem, seeking solid and vetted information and solutions. Throughout this process, we engaged with our legal coun-
SENTINEL FILE PHOTO
JAIL CLOSING?: Yesterday’s Commissioners meeting ended too late for outcomes to be included in today’s paper. Barring a sudden change of direction, the county jail could close by April 12. sel, state and federal agencies, and legal advice, and enlisted the assistance of our personnel and
finance departments. I want to thank them all for the enormous time they have given to ensure
we have carefully considered all items and information. Klickitat County has a moral and legal
obligation to provide a safe environment for people housed in our jail. The public has repeatedly expressed their concerns over the sheriff’s inability to provide a humane and safe environment for inmates.” “I stand in full agreement with Commissioner Zoller’s assertion that changes are indeed needed in the Klickitat County Jail,” Anderson said in his opening comments. “Events have underscored the urgent need for reform. And I am fully committed to addressing these issues head-on. I want to express my unequivocal support for Commissioner Zoller’s discussions with NORCOR [Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility in The Dalles; Zoller had visited the facility and talked with staff about using the facility in place of the County jail]. It is clear that partnering with NORCOR presents a valuable opportunity to implement the necessary changes and improve the conditions within our correction system… Together, we will work tirelessly to ensure that our correction system reflects our values of compassion, empathy, and justice.” Christopher said Zoller and Anderson appeared to be aligned on the agenda before the meeting started, stating he felt blindsided and questioning how the two commissioners came in with prepared statements and predisposed mindsets. Speaking to Zoller, Christopher said, “When Commissioner Anderson says that he’s been behind you doing this the whole time, I want to know how he knew you were doing this, because I sure
See Jail page A8
GOLDENDALE OBSERVATORY
SOLAR ECLIPSE OBSERVED HERE: The Goldendale Observatory plans a special event for Monday’s solar eclipse. Above is a simulated image of maximum eclipse as it will appear in Goldendale at 11:28 a.m. on April 8.
CONTRIBUTED
FIRE AT CAFE GENEVIEVE: Goldendale Fire Department personnel were on the scene at Cafe Genevieve late Monday night attending to a fire at the popular eatery. At press time there was no word on the fire’s cause or total damage.
Observatory to hold special eclipse event Goldendale Observatory Administrator Troy Carpenter writes this about the solar eclipse coming Monday. I’m sure you’ve heard much hype about next week’s solar eclipse. It is important to note that Washington is far outside the path of totality, with maximum eclipse occurring in Mexico. The complete moon’s shadow will enter the United States in Texas, then travel through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine before exiting into Canada. This will be the last solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2044. The Goldendale Observatory will be holding a special viewing event for this eclipse from 10 a.m.
to 1 p.m. on Monday, April 8. At this location, the eclipse occurs from 10:34 a.m. to 12:24 p.m. A maximum obscuration of 24.37% will be visible in Goldendale at 11:28 a.m. Filtered telescope viewing and free eclipse glasses will be offered (one per visitor). Interested visitors should check out the Special Events page at www.goldendaleobservatory. com/special.html. Even though only a quarter of the sun will be blocked as seen from Goldendale, we have received numerous inquiries about our viewing plans. I felt it important to do something to observe this moment, as eclipses of all types have consistently been good fun. I fondly recall the 2017 eclipse event as one of our all-time best. Years of goodwill were cultivated on that day.
DNR to conduct burns in Klickitat County
LOU MARZELES
EGG WRANGLERS: Saturday morning the American Legion unleashed a herd of happy children at the County Fairgrounds for its annual Easter Egg Hunt. Kids of all ages plucked goodies from the ground.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released a list on Monday of eight prescribed burns the agency intends to execute this spring on state trust lands in central and eastern Washington, including in Klickitat County. Prescribed fire operations may begin as soon as next week and run through spring into early summer. Each prescribed burn is subject to a list of requirements
for safe and effective implementation, including weather and available resources. Some burns may be postponed to future seasons if optimal conditions are not met this spring. Successful prescribed fires reduce hazardous fuels, improve the health of older trees by reducing competition for finite resources, support wildlife habitats, and create a safer landscape for wildland
See Burns page A8