Headlines & History since 1879 Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2025
Vol. 146 No. 33
Board holds special post-fire meeting
KVH responds to risk-ofclosure report
Rodger Nichols For The Sentinel
Klickitat County Commissioners held a special post-fire meeting August 6 at the Lyle Lions Club Community Center in Lyle. The meeting was divided into two parts. All three commissioners were present for the first event, which began at 2 p.m. It was a listening session where they heard compliments and complaints. It also gave officials a chance to correct some misconceptions. Some attendees voiced a real concern that fire crews from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would not help defend structures, even when seriously threatened. Peter Lovejoy, a local 24-year veteran firefighter had a detailed response: “I’m not affiliated with DNR,” he said, “but their staff isn’t trained to put out a structure fire. Their engines have small pumps and small posts. They flow a tiny fraction of water in gallons per minute compared to a structure engine. They don’t have the right turnouts, they don’t have breathing apparatus, they have none of the right gear. They just aren’t equipped to deal with structure fires. So I understand their policy. They will try and save your structure. They’ll put back burns around it. They’ll prep the site to do everything they can to keep your structure from catching on fire. But once it is, they can’t do anything about it. It’s not that they won’t; they just aren’t in a position to.”
Klickitat Valley Health says it remains committed to providing compassionate, local access to high-quality health care, despite being named in a recent report as a hospital “at risk of closure.” The report, issued by the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, included KVH on a list of rural hospitals at risk due to expected cuts in Medicaid funding. KVH was not contacted before the report was published and does not believe the designation reflects its current operations or financial outlook. The Washington State Hospital Association has reviewed the list and found discrepancies between the Sheps Center’s data and the state’s own findings. Inclusion in the report does not mean a hospital is on the verge of closing. However, recent federal and state policy changes are expected to present financial challenges. The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, combined with new taxes and reduced state funding, could significantly affect hospitals that serve a high percentage of Medicaid patients.
‘We’re here. We’re committed. And we’ll continue to fight.’ At KVH, about 26% of patients are covered by Apple Health, Washington’s Medicaid program. This funding is essential to continuing care for vulnerable populations in the community. Hospital officials are reviewing how these changes will affect operations. Some funding reductions could begin as early as 2026, while others are scheduled for 2027 and beyond. KVH currently has no plans to cut services or close, and hospital leadership is working with the board to make proactive decisions that protect both patients and staff. Patients enrolled in Apple Health are encouraged to stay informed. New requirements will soon ask enrollees to verify eligibility every six months. Most will still qualify, but coverage may be lost due to missed paperwork or deadlines. KVH staff are preparing to assist community members through the new process. While the legislation presents challenges, there is cause for optimism for the hospital. Earlier versions of the bill would have ended key programs, such as Directed Payment Programs, immediately. Thanks to advocacy efforts, including support from U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, those cuts are now being phased in gradually. KVH is also one of eight hospitals nationwide selected for the Rural Hospital Stabilization Program. Over the next 18 to 24 months, the hospital will work with outside experts to assess services, improve efficiency and identify new revenue opportunities. In addition, the bill establishes a Rural Health Transformation Fund, which provides $50 billion in grants over five years. KVH has secured more than $20 million in competitive grants over the past eight years and is well positioned to pursue future funding. KVH leadership emphasized that while challenges lie ahead, the hospital has time, tools and a plan to navigate them. “We’re here. We’re committed. And we’ll continue to fight for the future of rural health care in Washington,” KVH CEO Jonathan Hatfield said.
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Troy Carpenter/Goldendale Observatory
ALIGNED: Goldendale Observatory Administrator Troy Carpenter sent us this photograph and comment: Over the past few weeks, early risers may have noticed the two brightest planets converging in the eastern sky before sunrise. The closest conjunction of Jupiter and Venus occurred on the mornings of August 11 and 12 this year. For the rest of August, the pair can be seen gradually parting ways in the same part of the early morning sky. These are not rare events. A similar conjunction of Jupiter and Venus will occur next year in early evenings around June 9. This image was taken from Observatory Hill and depicts the pair of planets horizontally aligned like eyeballs watching a Perseid meteor on the morning of Monday, August 11, at 4:30 a.m. Despite being nearly 12 times the diameter of Venus, Jupiter appears dimmer due to being five times the distance (at the time of this posting). Incidentally, the Perseid Meteor Shower peaks this week.
County looks to reduce tax on burnt properties Rodger Nichols For The Sentinel
READY FOR ACTION: Alex Fox bought his own fire truck.
bought a firetruck as well, and others are making fire trailers, acquiring pumps, tanks etc. By pooling resources, we are more resilient. Sentinel: What is your main goal? Alex: In some cases, insurance premiums can go down if you have added fire protection equipment. With aircraft operations, we have additional responsibility to react swiftly to save lives and reduce fires from spreading. Sentinel: How will having a
The ongoing effects of recent fires came up several times in the August 5 Klickitat County Commission meeting. County Auditor Billi Bare said she had toured the burned area with Planning Director Scott Edelman, Building Director Lynn Ward, and Code Compliance officer Jorge Sendejas. It was all part of finding out which structures were lost in the fire in order to reduce property taxes for those lots. “We worked with the treasurer’s office to recalculate their taxes that are due this year,” she said, “because they are allowed pro-rated amounts. Say their home burned down and it was valued at $500,000. It existed until July 19, so they pay taxes on that amount until July 19, and it’s pro-rated for the rest of the year.” The taxes on a burned-out lot are far less, a small consolation amid the disasters. A single tour won’t uncover all the losses, Bare said, and she announced her staff had put up a form on the Auditor’s page on the county website. “We have a link to a destroyed property form,” she said. In addition to losses of homes, shops, and outbuildings, she noted another category that should be reported. “If there’s business personal property, like a farmer lost his tractor or a piece of equipment, we can work through that as well. Those links are on my website at Klickitat County.gov.” In other action, commissioners included in their consent agenda an ordinance adopting amend-
See Truck page A8
See Taxes page A8
Contributed: Alex Fox
Stopping wildfire in its tracks Melissa Uhles For The Sentinel With the recent Burdoin fire’s destruction on the hearts and minds of many community members, many are considering what they would do if a fire struck close to their home. One local Goldendale resident, Alex Fox, has taken matters into his own hands. In 2023, he bought his own used fire truck to protect against property damage from future fires. I asked him some questions about his decision. Sentinel: What gave you the
idea to buy a firetruck? Alex: We were on a road trip visiting an airshow at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, when the Newell Road fire had reached Rock Creek. It was a very large fire that strained local resources, so we as a family decided we needed to improve protection. We split the cost four ways within the family. A skid unit or brush truck is probably more appropriate, but we are very happy with the one we found. Thankfully, we are blessed with neighbors who have also made significant investments in time and equipment. My neighbor, Jim,