D’Avanzo’s Italian Restaurant in Goldendale is a year old now and has established itself as a premier eatery. And that’s not just in town—the restaurant just won three prestigious consumer awards: Best Restaurant in the Gorge, Best Chef in the Gorge, and Best Lunch Spot in the Gorge. The designations are awarded based on responses to polls conducted in each of those categories. D’Avanzo’s was up against hundreds of restaurants throughout the Columbia River Gorge.
“Gold,” Shannon D’Avanzo states proudly. “First place. Not silver.” Shannon says the signs were clear early on that the restaurant was going to catch on. “When we first opened, we wanted to keep it real minimal,” she recalls.
“We had very limited hours. We were only open Tuesday through Saturday, and Tuesday through Thursday we were only open for lunch. Fridays and Saturdays we were open for lunch and dinner, and we were doing counter service. We realized it was such a huge demand right off—lines were all the way out the door. People wanted to have the full service so quickly that within less than a month we started full service where you can sit down and order. I think it was March when we opened for lunch and
dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Then people started asking us about breakfast, and with winter it slows down with the tourist season.”
Yes, you read that right. Goldendale has a tourist season.
“This is actually a pretty touristy town,” Shannon continues.
“We get a lot of traffic in here on Fridays and Saturday nights from out of town–people from all over the world. People in town for the Observatory and a lot of people coming specifically for the restaurant. We have people come from The Dalles, Yakima, White Salmon, Hood River. So we started opening for breakfast a couple months ago, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 8 to 11.” Next on the restaurant’s horizon is a new juice and smoothie
bar, prompted by D’Avanzo’s husband’s dietary proclivities.
“We were going to do it inside the restaurant,” she says, “but this place opened up”—she refers to the old Rakow office building just next door—“and we thought maybe we should just do it over here.” The bar will have healthy juices, smoothies, and salads. Shannon says they’re planning to have it open by the end of December. She’s proud of their accomplishments in one short year, beginning with building a fiercely loyal customer base. She positively beams when she talks about her staff and how the restaurant’s foods are made. She began cooking when she was 10 years old. Her husband, Phil, is the son of an immigrant born in
Italy. Acquiring Italian-cooking skills was a natural choice.
“We’ve gone through a lot of changes,” she says, “and we’ve kept the same core staff. We have a very talented pastry chef, so we have really good gourmet desserts. We bake our own sandwich bread in-house. All of our dishes are made from scratch. Even for our salads, we cut our own romaine, we shred our own carrots. All our salad mixes are organic. Over half of our pasta dishes are vegetarian. Our soups are gluten-free and made from scratch with organic broth. We start in the morning to prep everything, so our food comes out hot and quick. You usually don’t have to wait more than 10 minutes for your food.” All D’Avan-
LOU MARZELES EDITOR
Joyce Taylor and most of the residents of Golden Ridge Village in Goldendale are fed up. They’re taking action to draw public attention to the apparent lack of attention from the owner of the facility.
The mobile home village is adjacent to the New Life Assembly of God Church on Columbus Avenue. The owner is a company called Hurst & Sons; it owns about 90 such places across the Pacific Northwest. Some of its other locations report similar complaints. The company to date has ignored appeals from Six Rivers, a conflict-resolution agency, and residents. It has similary ignored requests from The Sentinel for comment.
Here’s one that happened at Golden Ridge: Hurst & Sons announced to residents that it was going to do some construction on the road into the village. It’s the only road in and out. Because of the construction, Hurst told the residents they were going to need to park elsewhere—oh, say, at the
PHOTOS BY LOU MARZELES
RIGHT DOWN CANDY CANE LANE: Top, the tree on the courthouse lawn in its Christmas finery. Above and right, scenes from Saturday’s parade.
MARKING ONE YEAR: Shannon D’Avanzo cuts the ribbon at a celebration of D’Avanzo’s Italian Restaurant’s first-year anniversary.
Earlier this fall, Glenwood-based Mt. Adams Resource Stewards (MARS) purchased 800 acres of former industrial timberlands, representing the single largest addition thus far to the growing Mt. Adams Community Forest. The Glenwood-based nonprofit organization worked with the seller, Seattle-based Weyerhaeuser, to find an outcome that would maintain the property’s legacy as resource lands managed for sustainable forestry.
With the addition, the Mt. Adams Community Forest totals just over 1,800 acres
WESCO Distribution, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, has signed a lease agreement to lease a 39,000-squarefoot building in Klickitat County, at 100 E Dow Road in Dallesport, Washington.
This is believed to be the first Fortune 500 Company to have put a location in Klickitat County. They are also in negotiations with a
of forest in northwestern Klickitat County. MARS completed its first community forest purchase in 2011 and the latest purchase of land, referred to by the organization as the South Conboy Tract, represents its sixth successful transaction.
“We are really excited about this purchase and appreciate Weyerhaeuser’s patience in working through our timeframe necessary to raise funds and get the deal to the finish line,” commented MARS Executive Director Jay McLaughlin.
“Our greatest concern was that these lands could have
Klickitat County conglomerate to lease an additional 9.4 acres of land for outside storage. The identity of the conglomerate is not yet being released.
The building is owned by CT Dow Road, LLC. The president of the company, Cam Thomas, is a lifelong resident of Underwood, Washington.
The general contractor for
been sold for private recreational and residential development in an area where those uses would have conflicted with historic and neighboring land uses. This is productive forest land, and wildlife benefit greatly from the undeveloped character of this property immediately adjacent to a national wildlife refuge.”
In recent years these lands had been part of a leased access and hunting program, and MARS has already reestablished public access to the property. “We are looking forward to sitting down with the community and digging
the project was Stratton Innovations, LLC., a Vancouver, Washington-based company, licensed in Washington, Oregon, and Texas. The leasing company that represented Thomas was Venture Commercial Real Estate (Lyle Stratton and Andi Costello) with locations in Washington and Oregon. WESCO was represented by
into management options for the property, true to community forest management principles,” added McLaughlin. Recreation is one area he identified that they want to explore more deeply, as multiple-use management is central to the Mt. Adams Community Forest vision.
The acquisition was supported by grants from the U.S. Forest Service and Washington Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) Community Forest Programs as well as a substantial loan that MARS is actively raising funds to pay down.
William Martin out of the Phoenix, Arizona office by Cresa, a global
G OLDENDALE ’ S A TTIC
Answer to last week´s Mystery Picture
This week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture
This week’s Mystery Photo has a twist: there are two “sets” of people in it. The photo ran as a single image in the paper, indicating there must be a connection between the two pictures and the people in them. But what’s the connection? Who are the couples? Beats us. All we know is that this picture
ran in The Sentinel sometime, lost in the annals of yesteryear. If you know anything about it, please drop us an email (info@ goldendalesentinel.com),
or give us a call (509-7733777), 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
December 18, 1913 – 110 Years Ago
Dear Santa: I want some color crayons and some books, and a horn. Thank You. Henry Miller
December 13, 1923 – 100 Years Ago
Dear Santa: I will be waiting for you and your reindeers on Christmas eve. Please bring me a toy train and a Panama pile driver. Lawrence Schroder.
Dear Santa: Will you bring me a bicycle and a windup engine? Kirk McKee
Dear Santa: Please bring me a big stocking full of toys, a tool chest, tinker toys, a box of crayons, a knife, and a gun. Bring me some candy, nuts. Thank You, Ronald Roe.
December 17, 1953 – 70 Years Ago
As in the past, the Louis Leidl American Legion post this year is cutting and sending Christmas trees to the vets in the hospital at Walla Walla. The project is being carried out under the direction of Dean Bigby. Fifty small trees to go beside the beds of patients have been cut, as well as ten larger ones and a 20-footer. Sheriff Ez Kaiser said he would transport the trees to Poplar Grove where they will be picked up for hauling to Walla Walla by Inland Motor Freight.
December 13, 1973 – 50 Years Ago
Quite a few of the local people thought it couldn’t happen here, but it has. The energy crisis fi nally caught up with the little town of Klickitat last week. With no public power to depend on as of December 1, the sawmill went back on a six-day work week schedule. That means the company keeps sawing, so the sawdust and other waste keeps coming to be burned to make more steam for the turbines, which in turn turns the generators that ensure us a steady supply of electric power, the power that helps to heat our homes, cook our food, and keeps the laundry done and works for us in so many ways.
December 1, 1983 – 40 Years Ago
The boys varsity and junior varsity basketball teams get their fi rst taste of hoop action tonight at five when Goldendale High hosts its season-opening jamboree. The jamboree will include varsity and JV squads from Sherman County, Wahtonka, and White Swan. Varsity coach Ron Rowe will start seniors Brad Cameron and Brad Watson at guard, with senior Chris Barthlow and juniors Andy Wilson and Brett Schroder at forward slots for the opening week action.
December 1, 1983 – 40 Years Ago
Driven by rapid expansion of its membership, the Goldendale Assembly of God Church broke ground at the end of July for a new building. Site preparation followed until the end of October, and the structural phase started November 1. The fi rst phase will be a two-story building housing our sanctuary, a gymnasium, offices, and the Dove Cablecasting studios. The new sanctuary will seat 400 and the building should be ready for occupancy by Easter.
December 3, 1993 – 30 Years Ago
Debbie and Ken Clark have started their own business in Goldendale. They bought the Flower Peddler and renamed it Clark’s Floral. Debbie had been arranging flowers for another florist for six years before she and her husband decided to open their own business. The best part of this business is the family can all work together.
—Richard Lefever Klickitat County Historical Society
Several people called or wrote in about last week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture and were able to identify some of the people in the picture. No one was able to put a date on it, so we were unable to fi nd it as it ran all those years ago. The photo appears to be in the late ’80s or early ’90s again, we make this assumption based on the hairstyles. The people identified are (front to back, left to right): Jessie Hill, Mark Lee, Dan-
ielle Better, Frances Lind-
unknown, unknown. A note on the previous week’s Mystery Picture of a group of adults and a young man with a bike. At the time we were unable to identify the young man with the bike, but now we have an answer for you! The young man is Arlen George
His mother, Willa Cloud, recalls that he won the bike at a kid’s camp but could not recall the year.
Points to ponder:
Caller: “I’d like to report a disturbance.”
Police: “Okay, where is it?
Caller: “In the force. I can feel it.”
I was once so fat, when I wore a yellow raincoat, people would yell, “Taxi!”
“If Benjamin Franklin were alive today, what would he be famous for?” “Being over 300 years old.”
Have you heard about the daredevil knight at Camelot? He was called Medieval Knieval. In 1932 Amelia Earhart flew across the Atlantic from Canada to Britain. In 1934 her luggage arrived. What do you call a hippie’s wife? Mississippi.
I was hitch-hikling the other day, and a hearse stopped. I said, “No, thanks. I’m not going that far.” Doctor to patient: “I have good news and bad news. The good news is, you’re not a hypochondriac.” My father is allergic to cotton. He has pills he can take, but he can’t get them out of the bottle. I sneezed really hard, and while I didn’t break any bones, there was some tissue damage.
You know you’ve got bipolar disorder if last night you understood the secrets of the universe, and this morning you’re trying to determine if the jam goes on top of the peanut butter or under it.
SENTINEL
For most cooks, making a pie is just an ordinary occurrence like making the bed or doing the dishes or fl ipping flapjacks. For me, making a pie is an emotional experience and a sheer trauma.
I only do it at about five-year intervals because it takes me over four years to remember the previous disaster. It’s probably been nearly five years now, and sure enough, I had forgotten my hangup when Mary Ledbetter called and asked if I would bake a pie, as Town Pride was going to treat the Chamber of Commerce to dessert at its Monday meeting as a little “thank you” for the money given TP by the Chamber. So, rather than confess my inadequacies, I agreed. The pie-making went to my head and I made two, one for Chamber and one for us. Custard pies. Lots of eggs and sugar and good stuff. Good expensive stuff. I couldn’t get the crust to roll out round. I tried to pick it up to start over again but it was stuck to the counter. Finally got a pancake turner and scraped it together and started all over on wax paper. But every time I rolled the “light deft strokes” as you are supposed to, the wax paper kept running all over the counter. Mother came in to hold it down for me and I kept rolling her fingers with light deft strokes. Finally I ended up with something the shape of Australia, wider east and west than north and south, and this led to much patching. Then I poured the custard mixture into the pie crust and started to transfer the pie from counter to oven. The little aluminum pan buckled, and the mixture ran over the counter, down the cupboard doors and puddled on the floor. By the time it had spilled again in the oven, we didn’t recognize the smell of burning pie because we were already smelling burning custard. Which pie of the two to take to the Chamber was a dilemma. The one with the patched burnt crust, or the one with the broken crust and the
burnt custard fi lling?
After they cooled, we decided to eat part of one for an evening snack. Cutting it revealed that the crust, which was too thick, was the same thickness as the custard, which was too thin. It looked more like a pizza without any oomph. We all chewed away on it and pronounced it my usual, total disaster, as if I’d gotten the recipe from Goldendale Redi-Mix Concrete Co. Pete [May, former Goldendale Sentinel editor] tried to make me feel better, and said, “Honey, you can make a pie for me every day if you want!” and I wanted to crown him with the mop I was using on every square inch of the kitchen. Some men just don’t know when to leave bad enough alone. This led to an emergency run to the store to buy (how humiliating) a frozen custard pie. But I still had to BAKE it. When it warmed a little, I took my thumb and rearranged the crust so it wouldn’t be so tell-tale bakery-made. Well, the top burned before the bottom even got started. In desperation, I had to take it and tried to sneak it in unobserved. After everybody had taken a piece of pie, mine was left untouched. They sold the remaining pies and parts of pies, and still mine sat in all its burnt splendor. “Oh, that looks good!” I exclaimed, and paid $2 to get the thing off the market and off my conscience. We now have 2 and a half terrible custard pies taking up half the refrigerator, and after this column comes out, I know that no one will visit us for a month for fear of the refreshments. At that, it was less humiliating than the time I took a potato salad to the Cattleman’s Field Day. I took quite a big helping of my own salad, and when I sat down, the lady next to me said, “Oh, oh, dearie. You’ll be sorry. That salad is just TERRIBLE!” The next time anybody wants me to furnish either a pie or potato salad, don’t call me. I’ll call you.
ner, Sarah Carr,
Cloud.
OpiniOn
‘Smart’ home devices to help seniors at home
Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve been talking to my mobility challenged mother, who lives alone, about automating her house with some smart home products to make it more convenient. She’s very interested but we’d like to get your opinion as to which types of smart devices are most helpful for seniors aging in place.
Searching Daughter
Dear Searching,
If your mother is game, smart home products – such as smart lights, video doorbells and voice-activated speakers – can be very useful for aging in place. These devices can add safety and convenience to a home by providing voice and app-controlled operation, which is extremely helpful for seniors who have mobility issues or reduced vision.
Savvy Senior, Jim Miller
Smart home technology can also provide family members peace-ofmind by giving them the ability to electronically keep tabs on their elder loved one when they can’t be there.
If you’re interested in adding some smart home products to your mom’s house, she’ll need home Wi-Fi installed, and she’ll need either a smartphone, tablet or smart speaker to operate them. To help you get started, here are some different types of devices to consider that are very helpful to older adults.
Smart speakers: A smart speaker–like the Amazon Echo, Google Nest or Apple HomePod–can serve as the brains of a smart home, controlling the devices with voice commands or automating them.
These devices can also play your mom’s favorite music, read audiobooks, make calls, set timers and alarms, provide reminders for medications, appointments and other things, check traffic and weather, answer questions, call for help in emergency situations and much more–all done by voice commands.
Smart light bulbs: To help prevent home falls–often caused by fumbling around a dark room looking for a light switch–smart light bulbs will let your mom turn on and off the lights by voice command, smartphone or tablet. These bulbs can also change brightness and color and be programmed to come on and off whenever she wants.
Smart plugs: These small units plug into a standard outlet and connect to the internet. That means your mom can control whatever she plugs into them–from a space heater to a coffee maker–using her voice or phone.
Smart locks: For convenience and safety, smart locks would give your mom keyless entry to her home, provide customized access to family, friends and caregivers, and let you monitor who comes and goes from your mom’s house.
Stovetop shut-off: To prevent home cooking fires, smart stovetop shut-off devices, like the IGuardStove, will turn off electric and gas stovetops when left unattended, and will alert you via text.
THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL
Official newspaper of Klickitat County, Washington
Established 1879 • Published every Wednesday from offices at 117 W. Main Street • Goldendale, WA 98620 • Telephone: (509) 773-3777 Emails: news@goldendalesentinel.com (News, editorial, Letters)
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Editorial:
Lou Marzeles, Editor & Publisher
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Owned by Tartan Publications, Inc.
Leslie Geatches, President, Financial management, Special Section production, Ad Design
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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.
How to stop it
A lot of attention is being given to the illegal drug crisis, fentanyl in particular, by the media in an attempt to inform people of the dangers and destructive consequences of drug abuse.
While this is helpful and necessary, it’s like putting a band-aid on a severed jugular vein.
Although drug abuse is not a new situation, one has to wonder why and how it has achieved “crisis” proportions in the last three years.
In an effort to find an answer, this is what I discovered. I have links to sites that corroborate this information.
The fentanyl is produced in China, then shipped to Mexico where Mexican drug cartels process the drugs, including cocaine, heroin, and numerous other drugs. Then the drug cartels transport these drugs across an open southern border. The drugs account for over 10,000 overdose deaths per month and facilitate the entry of millions of illegal immigrants, approximately 300,000 per month who are welcomed in Sanctuary cities that have defunded law enforcement, decriminalized major offenses and under the sway of a biased and corrupt judicial and federal justice system.
How can we realistically combat these issues?
Let’s start with demanding a fair and secure voting system, then vote the lunatics out of office who are responsible for the cultural and economic decline we are experiencing!
Steve Johnston Goldendale
(Editor’s note: Steve provided The Sentinel with links to several news sites that reference the basic information contained in his letter. These are available to view on request at The Sentinel office.)
A dangerous combination
The December 5 meeting on homelessness in Goldendale showed that ignorance and arrogance are an embarrassing—and potentially dangerous—combination.
First, the Klickitat County sheriff
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
C
stigmatized homelessness and drug addiction as something that is a voluntary choice and a moral deficit. The facts are that most often people experience homelessness when all other options have been exhausted, or they are dealing with difficult circumstances that make it hard to retain housing. One of these is drug addiction—which is a disease. The most widely abused drugs are tobacco products and alcohol, which are legal and kill far more people and cost society much more than opiates and other illicit drugs.
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.”
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.
Letters from the community
ambulance and its lifesaving paramedic/EMT crew as some sort of Uber service for the mentally ill is itself insane.
It is even more astonishing that promoting the defunding of essential emergency medical services are being uttered by those who are supposed to be looking out for and protecting the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
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.
The sheriff then indulged in fearmongering, stating that masses of homeless drug addicts are waiting to invade Klickitat County and threaten to turn it “into Portland and Seattle.” The reality is that this community is no different than any other and for years has been affected by these issues like everywhere else.
“For No Reason At All” I particularly found offensive.
More shockingly, representatives from law enforcement and the Klickitat County commissioners went out of their way to urge those in attendance not to approve ongoing funding for Klickitat County Emergency Medical Services in future levy elections. This punishment is apparently deemed needed for Klickitat County EMS District 1’s unelected board members, who allegedly harm the public by refusing to allow removal of scarce ambulance resources from the EMS system for out-of-county non-emergency transportation of psychiatric patients.
First, it was the County Commissioners who created EMS District 1 and decided it would have an appointed instead of elected Board. Second, people with psychiatric issues—but who have no significant medical condition and require no medical attendance—should and can be transported to psychiatric facilities appropriately by non-medical personnel and vehicles. From the statements of several assistance agencies in attendance at the meeting, it appears these transportation resources are available, but the County and its law enforcement agencies are unaware of their existence. With limited ambulance resources to begin with, the proposition that you would use an EMS
Guidelines for Letters
Bob Yoesle Retired paramedic Goldendale
Most drugs smuggled by Americans
Ken Margraf Goldendale
Headlines in both the United States and around the world stated the same sad truth last week: “Republicans in U.S. Congress block aid to Ukraine.”
This is sad for our nation’s reputation and tragic for the people of Ukraine. It is yet another indication of how far the GOP has fallen. It used to be that we could rely upon Republican leaders to support freedom-loving nations against despots, but not anymore.
Republicans correctly point out that we must do more to secure our own southern border. Everyone agrees. Illegal immigration has plagued us under both Republican and Democratic presidential administrations. But rather than addressing this problem with sober reasoning, Republican leaders have sought to ramp up hysteria. They blame illegal immigrants for the explosion of fentanyl brought into the U.S., when, in fact, only 0.2 percent of individuals caught illegally crossing the border possess any fentanyl. The majority is being smuggled by U.S. citizens caught at official border crossings. Nevertheless, there is bipartisan agreement that more needs to be done about our southern border. Responsible leaders seek bipartisan deliberations and solutions. They don’t use the issue as an excuse to abandon democratic nations like Ukraine to authoritarian warmongers such as Vladimir Putin.
Rick George 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.
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My hearing is almost back to normal
Time is just flying, and the Glenwood school staff and students will start their Christmas break on Friday, December 15. Before starting their break, the students and their families will enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner that day, prepared by school cooks Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Keithley. The homecoming court will be announced, as well as citizens of the month and other important school news. I hear that the elementary students will provide great music.
I had the great experience of two fourth graders, a second grader, and a first grader riding with me in my car last week. One of the fourth graders began to play some of the Christmas songs she learned on her recorder, and the other three girls sang along—or should I say, belted out those songs. My hearing is nearly back to normal. It was great fun, and they are looking forward to entertaining on Friday. I’m sure it’ll be another memorable Glenwood School Christmas dinner.
The Glenwood middle school Eagles did very well last week with home wins
over Klickitat and Trout Lake. This week they played at Bickleton on Monday night and will have their last game of the season here on their home court with Centerville. This will be the last middle school basketball game for 8th graders Blaine Arnold, Jocee Hoctor, and Wyatt Patterson. It’s your last chance to come out and cheer for a team that, though small in numbers, plays with so much heart and determination. They are really fun to watch. They would appreciate some great hometown support. Good luck, Eagles.
Besides playing on the middle school basketball team, Jocee and her little sister, Jentry, are participating in club volleyball in Goldendale. The winter will be filled with practices and tournaments for them. Last Sunday the Goldendale Club had a Serve-a-Thon fundraiser. I’ll share results next week. Jentry has also been busy, along with all the lower elementary kids, having peewee basketball practices after school, under the great coaching of Dakota Jones. Now, if you’ve never seen those little kids at a practice, I can tell you, coaching them
seems like herding cats. But Dakota does a great job of keeping their attention and is teaching them great skills. They’ll be playing at half times at some of the Klickwood boys home basketball games on the Glenwood court. It’s great entertainment, better than anything you could find on TV. Check for their game schedule after the new year.
Our Glenwood High School girls playing on the Trout Lake Mustangs basketball team are having a great season. Last weekend they participated in a three-day tournament in Umatilla, the Columbia River Clash. They lost their first game against Riverside but handily won their next two games against GrantUnion and Ione-Arlington. Way to go, Mustangs. They have a home game in Trout Lake on Friday the 15th.
Our Klickwood boys team will participate in a tournament at Helix on December 15 and 16. Good luck, Klickwood. Glenwood Pioneer Memorial Church will hold Sunday service at the normal 11 a.m. time on Christmas Eve morning. There will be a Candlelight Service at 7 p.m. that night. All are welcome.
Christmas concerts are coming up
Santa came to Lyle and listened to all the boys and girls who came to the Lyle Activity Center on Saturday, December 9! The Lyle Community Council, along with Lyle, High Prairie, and Klickitat Fire Departments, all joined forces to bring him in with a caravan of trucks and ambulances with their sirens blaring. The park tree was decorated and what waited inside was the warm atmosphere of Santa’s corner for photos and a long table of homemade cookies, hot cocoa, and cider to warm up those cold toes, fingers, and nose. Pictures of the children with Santa were taken by Dana Wright and will be ready later this week. Parents who left their phone numbers will be called to set up a time for pick-up. It was a great night that was enjoyed by all. It was so great to see the excitement on all the girls’ and boys’ faces as they divulged their innermost wishes to Jolly Old Saint Nick. Now let’s light up a few more children’s faces with a trip to MUGS Coffee Shop Coffee Shop at 120 W Steuben Street in Bingen and pick a tag from their Christmas tree. The tags that starts with the letter “L” is for a Lyle student and has the gender, age, gift ideas, and size for clothing. You needn’t get every item on the list; share the wishes with other family members! Gifts should be wrapped, labeled with the tag code, and returned to the café by December 20. So
you best hurry and while there, throw a “howdy” and a “thank you” to the crew for their generosity to the children of the communities the tree stands for. And maybe order yourself a treat while you’re there.
Lyle’s Elementary Winter Concert is quickly approaching! If you get the paper in time, the first one is for the children pre-K through the 5th grade on Wednesday, December 13, at 6 p.m. in the gym. Another concert is for the 6th through 12th grades on Wednesday, December 20, at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. Those little darlings have been practicing over and over and would be brokenhearted if you didn’t show up.
Our ever-diligent Lyle Fire liaison, Patty Elkins, wants you to be aware:
“We had freezing temperatures and now lots of rain, which brings us falling rocks on Highway 14 and Highway 142. We responded to a fair amount of vehicles vs. rocks in our fire district. Be even more careful at night when it’s hard to see them with oncoming headlights. Tell us where you watch out for rocks in our area.”
A contest is being held to stimulate your artistic talents. It stretches from The Dalles to Cascade Locks and from North Bonneville to Wishram. All residents are challenged. It all ends on January 1, so you better get cracking! They advertise: “Artistic geniuses of the Columbia River Gorge, brace yourselves! GorgeHunt is coming to
town in Spring 2024, and it’s going to be epic! To kickstart the fun, we’re calling on all you talented locals to help us add a splash of color to the community via an Art contest. It’s time to showcase your creativity and bring the Gorge to life. This community-wide scavenger hunt is going to be off the charts, and we want you to be a part of it.”
The Lyle Lions Club is an active organization and supports our community in many ways. One of those is the upcoming Christmas Food Boxes. They rely on donations, so can you help? This year they need canned goods to fill up the boxes such as fruits, tuna, soups, chili, and chicken. If you would like to donate they will be accepting items through next week. Boxes will be handed out on Saturday the 16th, so hurry with those canned goods and non-perishable items. Submit your news to Mildred E. Lykens, (509) 365-2273 or lykensme41@ gmail.com.
Santa scheduled a concert—but he can’t make it! He was in a band with Lou Marzeles and Leslie Geatches back in the ’90s, so he asked them if they would fill in, and they agreed.
So come and listen to songs of the season and more!
Friday, December 15, 7 p.m. Camplan Room, Goldendale Library with Santa’s musical fill-in Lou & Leslie
This Calendar of Events listing is free. Are you in need of an eye-catching 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 about 14,000 unique hits on our website a 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.
Tuesdays & Thursdays
• Zumba Classes – Soul
2 Soul Health Center 5:30 –6:30 p.m.
Sunday
• Makers Market at The Missing Corner (ON HOLD until further notice) – 1256 Hwy 141 BZ Corner. Every third Sunday from 12 – 5 p.m. Contact themissingcorner@ gmail.com for more information (will return in April 16, 2023)
• Trout Lake Market – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Trout Lake Grange Hall 2390 Washington 141. 1st Sunday of the month, seasonally through September.
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. 509773-6100 or 509-493-1533.
• The Coalition for Preventing Abuse in Klickitat County (CPAKC) 4 p.m. every 2nd Monday via Zoom. 509-7733776 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
• Board of County Commissioners meeting every Tuesday Klickitat County
Courthouse, 205 S Columbus Goldendale. Visit https://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. American Legion. Questions? Sally/ojala@gmail.com
• Goldendale Junior Community Chamber 7 p.m. 2nd Tuesday of every month at Umpqua Bank. Call 509-2500625
• Goldendale Photo Club
Community Events
Wednesday
• 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!
• Free Youth Cooking Classes: 4-6 p.m. every other Wednesday, beginning Sept. 20th, 2023 – June 2024 at The Harbor 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
• Family Storytime 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
available
• Bingo - High Prairie Community Center, 2nd Thursday of every month, doors open at 6, starts at 6:30. Questions contact Sharon 509-310-9172
• WAGAP Mobile Food Bank – 1st Thursday of the month: 9-11 a.m. Wishram school, 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 509493-2662 ext 208 for more
(509)281-0971, email: josh7harrison@gmail.com
• Beginning Quilt Class 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. call 3C’s Fabric to sign up 509-2612815
• 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 in the teen area.
• Crafternoons at the Library – every 4th Friday 2:30 – 4 p.m. for ages 7-10 (all ages welcome at the Goldendale Library)
Saturday
• Lyle Lions Pancake Breakfast 1st Saturday of every month 7 a.m. -10 a.m. Omelets 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
Community Events December 16 and 23, 2023, Believe in the Magic of Christmas: 3 – 5 p.m. 15 Marett Way at Goldendale Reindeer. Santa and Mrs. Claus are coming to Goldendale Reindeer! Come join us on the farm for a cozy evening of country Christmas activities. The farm will be decorated for Christmas! Warm fire pits, festive music, family lawn games, and photo opportunities abound. Wave to the reindeer and turkeys, browse our Christmas trees and gift barn, then sip a cup of hot cider around the fire. S’mores will be available for purchase. Each child will receive a magical gift from Santa. Visit https://fareharbor.com/embeds/ book/goldendalereindeer/items/ to learn more and purchase tickets.
2nd Tuesday of Every month
105 West Main 6 p.m. Jeanne Morgan 10-5 M-F at 509-7722717
• KC Fair Board Meetings 1st Tuesday of the month is a Workshop, 3rd Tuesday of the month is a Board Meeting.
• White Salmon Farmers Market, 4 – 7 p.m. every week seasonally at Rheingarten Park.
• Soroptimist International of Goldendale, 5:30 pm 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
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
• Pinochle at the Centerville Grange – 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every Month at 1:00 p.m. 228 Centerville Hwy
• Trivia at the American Legion – every week 6:30 p.m.
• Drinking Democratically – 3rd Thursday of the month 6 – 7:30 p.m. at Ayutlas 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 - Goldendale American Legion Thursdays - card packets go on sale 6:30 p.m. game starts 7 p.m. Food
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
• Farmers Market, High Prairie: 701 Struck Road, Lyle (between Centerville & Lyle), the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. May – September. Vendors, please contact Josh Harrison, phone:
December 15, 2023, Christmas Concert: 7 p.m., Camplan Room, Goldendale Community Library. Santa scheduled a Christmas concert in Goldendale, then realized he would not be able to make it! He’s asked Lou Marzeles and Leslie Geatches to fill in for him, which they are more than happy to do! December 16, 2023, Family Holiday Night: 6 – 8 p.m. 228 E Darland Ave Goldendale at the Goldendale Grange Hall. Visit with Santa, make a marshmallow snowman, decorate ornaments and cookies. Sponsored by CPAKC, Amerigroup, and WAGAP.
December 23, 2023, Drive Thru Nativity: 6 p.m. at the Community Church in Wishram.
O
BITUARY
Michael B. Henslee
Michael B. Henslee, 75, of Goldendale, passed away at his home December 1, 2023. He was born July 10, 1948, in Goldendale, to Michael C. and Mabel (Brand) Henslee.
Growing up, Mike often spent time at the Little Klickitat River near his home, either swimming or fishing with friends and family. His grandmother, Maud, lived across the river, and he would sometimes catch trout for her. Mike was involved in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. He also had a passion for fishing and hunting, an interest his father played a role in. Mike graduated from Goldendale High School in 1966.
Two days after his graduation, Mike entered the Marine Corps and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, later shipping out to Vietnam where he served 13 months. Mike was honorably discharged in April 1969.
Mike attended Yakima Valley Community College, earning an associate degree. After graduating, he started at Martin Marietta Aluminum where he worked for 31 years, leaving when the plant closed. When his employment there ended, Mike worked at a few other jobs until joining Insitu in 2006, where he
remained until his retirement in 2014. Mike married Karen Lomsdalen in April 1979. The couple raised their two daughters, Kimberly and Jami, in Goldendale. The family enjoyed traveling to the Oregon Coast. Mike loved taking his daughters fishing on the Columbia River. In addition to fishing and hunting, he also enjoyed occasional trips to casinos and playing poker. He was a member of the American Legion Louis Leidl Post 116. Mike was preceded in death by his parents; youngest daughter, Jami; sister, Barbara, and an infant brother, Dennis.
Survivors include his wife of more than 44 years, Karen, of Goldendale; daughter, Kim (Chris) Graham of Corvallis, Oregon, a brother, Steve Henslee of Goldendale; grandsons, Andrew and Nathan Graham of Corvallis; nieces, Darlene McLean of Yakima and Sheri Hudson of Selah; in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends.
A memorial service will be held Friday, January 19, 2024, at New Life Assembly of God Church, at 2 p.m., in Goldendale. Arrangements are under the care of Columbia Hills Memorial Chapel in Goldendale.
DE-STRESS
ACA open enrollment is now
All Washingtonians who need health insurance coverage for 2024 can shop for plans and gain access to federal and state subsidies on wahealthplanfinder.org, now through Jan. 15. People who pick a plan by December 15 will have coverage starting on Jan. 1, 2024. More than 232,000 Washingtonians are already covered by ACA plans and are set up to be auto-renewed in a qualified health plan (Affordable Care Act [ACA] plan) for 2024. These existing customers are strongly encouraged to visit wahealhplanfinder.org during this open enrollment period to compare options and make sure the plan they are enrolled in is the best value for them in 2024. Approximately 75% of Washingtonians could save by switching this year. This includes up to 24,000 Washingtonians who could receive Cascade Care Savings (state subsidies) if they switched to a Cascade Care Gold or Silver plan. Shopping and comparing plans on Washington Healthplanfinder is the best way to ensure customers have the health insurance they need in 2024. The majority of customers who have already signed up or auto-renewed plans for
2024—around 75%—can still compare and shop for plans with the same benefits as the plan they’ve already chosen, but for a lower monthly cost.
“All Washingtonians, regardless of immigration status, can visit waheathplanfinder.org by Dec. 15 to shop, compare and signup for a health or dental plan for 2024. This includes anyone who doesn’t have health coverage through an employer or other program, as well as existing customers whose plan has been renewed,” Washington Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) CEO Ingrid Ulrey said. “Visit wahealthplanfinder.org to shop for coverage or find help closer to home from one of our more than 2,000 trained assisters across the state for in-person help.”
The Exchange operates Washington Healthplanfinder, Washington’s integrated source for enrolling in health insurance and Washington Apple Health (Medicaid). More than 232,000 Washingtonians have had their health insurance renewed for 2024 through Washington Healthplanfinder. Approximately 24,000 customers who have renewed their 2024 health
plan through Washington Healthplanfinder could qualify for Cascade Care Savings—a state-funded subsidy to help people pay for their monthly premiums—if they shop and switch to a Cascade Care Silver or Gold plan. By enrolling in their county’s lowest-cost Silver plan, many customers could reduce their monthly premium to $0.
Visit wahealthplanfinder. org to shop, compare and sign up for health and/or dental insurance for you and your family for 2024.
Customers who select a plan by December 15 will have their insurance take effect January 1, 2024. Enroll by January 15, 2024, to have a February 1 start date.
Need help enrolling in a health plan for next year?
The Exchange partners with a network of brokers, navigators, and enrollment centers across the state. Visit Washington Healthplanfinder’s Virtual Help Details page for more information and to find an assister near you. Customers can also enroll in 2024 coverage online from Nov. 1, 2023, through Jan. 15, 2024, by visiting wahealthplan -
finder.org, or by calling the Customer Support Center at 1-855-923-4633. Washington Healthplanfinder’s Customer Support Center will have extended hours during open enrollment.
The center will be open and ready to aid customers from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; closed on the weekends and holidays. These hours went into effect November 1 and end January 31, 2024.
The following adjustments were made to the center’s schedule; extended hours are subject to change: • Additional open hours:
° Dec. 15, 7:30 a.m. to midnight
° Dec. 16, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
° Jan. 14, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
° Jan. 15, 7:30 a.m. to midnight
• Closed on the following days:
° Dec. 25 – Christmas Day
° Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day
Reminders: Enrollment is offered year-round to individuals and families through Washington Apple Health (Medicaid). Customers enrolled in Apple Health will receive a notice 60 days before the month they enrolled in or renewed their coverage last year.
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
Community Grace Brethren 1180 S Roosevelt, Goldendale. Pastor Aaron Wirick. 509.773.3388. Sun Svc 10:30am in person. 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; Pastor David Daugs. 773-5750. Worship services 10am Everyone welcome.
METHODIST - United Methodist Columbus & Broadway, Goldendale; Pastor Kendra Behn-Smith; 509.773.4461. Service times: Worship 9:00am; Adult classes 10:45am; 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.
RIVER of LIFE CHURCH of GOD
2023 Pipeline Rd, Goldendale; Pastors Rod & Cathy Smith, 509-773-3185, 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.”
HOMELESS from page A1 quite a strong consolidated effort.”
The range of comments included:
• Houselessness affects many groups of people, not only those with substance use and mental health disorders but people of all ages, including youth, families, and seniors,
• Rising costs of housing and the lack of available housing units have a tremendous negative effect,
• All agencies are under pressure to provide services in their areas of expertise,
• Different agencies’ roles are not clearly understood by the public or even by other agencies,
• No one agency or group can fi x the issue; it must be a collaborative effort,
• Agencies must clearly communicate and have a go-to list of resources available,
• Laws must be reviewed and potentially changed to support community action,
• Funding is always an issue for providing services, and the generous funding that was available during COVID-19 has now ceased,
• Community members need to play a direct role in helping people and maintaining shared spaces and
• It all starts at home and in school.
“One of our important responsibilities for the city is maintaining our public spaces and making sure they are safe and accessible to everyone, especially our children,” said Goldendale Mayor-elect Dave Jones. He shared photos that law enforcement officers had taken at the parks showing needles, drugs, and garbage in areas where children play.
“It has to stop, and it’s our responsibility to see that it does,” Jones said. “We are looking for solutions here,
RESIDENTS
from page A1
church next door, for which they had no permission to authorize parking—and walk to their homes. This was told to the mostly senior residents, some of whom use walkers and wheelchairs.
Taylor sent around a message to her fellow residents. “[We] need to spur our Washington state House of Representatives to pass much-needed legislation to stabilize or put a reasonable percentage cap on the amount of annual rent increase a landlord can exact,” she wrote. That’s because the rent is ballooning an exorbitant amount from what residents had been paying, to $650/month starting January. Plus residents will have to pay water and sewer bills, which had been included. For most of the fixed-income residents, that is disastrous, and many say they will lose their homes.
“This may put some in the position of an economic eviction, with no place to go,” affi rms Taylor. “Our House of Representatives
D’AVANZO from page A1
zo’s dishes are customizable—you want mushrooms in your salad, you got ’em.
The restaurant will take reservations for parties larger than four. And it does catering.
“Catering’s a pretty big deal,” Shannon says. “We do cater-outs, where people come in and they take the food hot and ready, full pans of food, take it to the office. It’s very affordable per person. We can do that with usually about three days’ notice. Because it’s
and we need help, and I’ll beg for it if I need to.”
Law enforcement officials were on hand, including Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer, Undersheriff Carmen Knopes, Goldendale Police Chief Mike Smith, and BingenWhite Salmon Police Chief Mike Hepner. A major concern expressed by one community member was what they should do if they encounter someone experiencing what they believe to be a mental health disorder.
“It is not illegal to be mentally ill,” Hepner said and explained the person would have to be a threat to themselves or others before law enforcement would take action. He added that the County has developed a process to assist in the case of a behavioral health emergency, which varies by city.
Other enforcement issues included:
• The low number of officers and difficulty recruiting.
• Changes to Washington state drug laws making drug possession a misdemeanor. The Blake Fix came into effect on July 1, 2023,
• Limitations to trespass laws. Officers cannot remove people from public spaces if no housing is available.
• Transporting people having mental health emergencies is highly regulated and drains local resources, as approved facilities are outside the county. This pulls officers and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel out of service.
A question was raised about what is and is not prosecuted. “The prosecutor has the fi nal say so whether they will be prosecuted,” Songer said. Other
started the passage of bill HB 1389 back in January of this year. Unfortunately, it got bogged down in the [Legislature]. The residents have been given the names of the representatives who sponsored this bill, all 29 sponsors. Residents have been asked to give each of these representatives a call before January 8, 2024, encouraging them to get this bill passed. The AMHO (Association of Manufactured Home Owners) is also joining in the attempt to stabilize rent rates.”
Hurst has a host of other critical issues. Bookkeeping is a mess. Residents report dropping off their rent checks in the on-site box designated for that purpose, then getting charged $65 late fees for not paying their rent. It’s pulling teeth to get Hurst to finally acknowledge payment and reverse the late fees, residents say. Guests at Golden Ridge are allowed to stay only 36 hours. Got family coming for the weekend? They can’t stay with you at
a busy season right now with Christmas parties, we do catering in-house too, where we do pasta bars where people serve themselves.”
Another point of pride is that the restaurant is family-owned and operated. “My husband serves tables Friday and Saturday nights,” she says. “I came up with the recipes. My aunt is the prep cook, and I have a fantastic line cook who just gets the food out so quickly. It’s a small
options in drug use cases could include no action and diversion programs.
“I hate that substance use disorder and homelessness are being linked,” said Sunday Sutton, coordinator for the Coalition for Preventing Abuse in Klickitat County (CPAKC). “There is a correlation. But one does not necessarily cause the other or vice versa. It is an ongoing issue.”
“We don’t have housing in Goldendale,” Sutton continued. “I defi nitely want our children safe, and we don’t want them to be put in harmful situations. But it’s more than one issue. It’s not just about what they’re seeing in the parks. It’s about what’s going on in the home; it’s about what’s going on in our communities; it’s about the messages they’re receiving from our society.”
Many major resources were shared. Klickitat County Commissioner Dan Christopher shared that, in the absence of an outside service provider, Klickitat County has started a mental health department that now has around 20 employees.
Leslie Naramore, WAGAP executive director, explained its five locations in Goldendale include the food bank, housing, energy assistance, domestic violence, and sexual assault intervention and prevention, and a drop-in youth/ family resource center. It also supports CPAKC in its youth substance use prevention work.
Jennifer Pauletto, WAGAP associate director, shared data and explained how housing teams helped prevent 260 evictions last year by assisting with rent payments or mediating between landlords and tenants. “We know that housing availability is
Golden Ridge. Six Rivers provided the following resources and instructions for residents:
• Washington Manufactured Home Owners Association, Anne Sadler, President, (360) 490-3625, Dick Sims, Vice President, (360) 749-3964
• Elva Simmons, Sun Tides, Yakima, Washington, (509) 853-6551, Elvaamho1951@aol.com
• NW Justice, (888) 3877111, NWjustice.org\getlegal-help - Make sure to state on phone or in correspondence “Fear of Economic eviction”
• Washington Attorney General Manufactured Home Community, Mediation Program - Fill out Complaint Form. If you have copies of fines or other correspondence, provide copies. If no copies, write out description in the complaint form. At the bottom of the form, you can write that you are sending this form with fear of retaliation.
staff, but we do pretty well. One of my good friends is a server on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. My daughter helps out.”
D’Avanzo’s Restaurant is located at 119 E. Main Street in Goldendale, phone (509) 772-2888. Its winter hours are: Tuesday breakfast 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., regular Tuesday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
really slim in this area and that once someone loses a house, it takes a lot longer for someone to become stable again,” Pauletto said. “So if we can prevent that, we want to, and that’s what our focus is.”
Abby Whalin, WAGAP director of Pathways, connects Community Health Workers directly with people in need, helps them get to services and navigate life’s challenges. She stressed the importance of local volunteers who support youth and said, “When we have a meeting like this, it reminds our young people that we have a responsibility to each other, and we have a commitment to make sure we are uplifting and not further downtrodding on others.”
As one piece of a solution for wanting to clean up the parks, she offered a thought that the City might look into harm reduction practices like needle exchanges and safe disposal sites. “What if there were places they could do that?”
Recovery Cafe, headed up by Ari Bodeau, Klickitat RNP supervisor, explained how they are able to support community members struggling with substance use disorders. “We can get them to treatment,” she said. “We can transport them to treatment. We can fi nd them housing if they want to relocate.” Another goal for her team is to connect with other front-line workers within law enforcement, the jail, and the hospital, making this meeting timely.”
Darrell Watson and the staff of Father’s House Fellowship explained how the ministry supports the indigenous homeless population, which he estimates to be around three dozen in Goldendale. He is setting
up this winter’s overnight warming shelter in Goldendale but needs trained and vetted staff. “So if you are willing to do that, we’d love to talk to you,” he said. They are also working on refurbishing three rooms to help anyone in emergency situations.
County Commissioner Lori Zoller, Sharon Carter of Klickitat County Senior Services, and Melissa Howtopat, program director for Yakama Nation Area Agency on Aging, emphasized the importance of keeping seniors in their homes so they don’t fall into homelessness. Carter noted those who lose a spouse are affected tremendously by the loss of income, which can make their homes unaffordable to them. She also advocated for disabled clients.
Other groups attended in support of the conversation, like K-Link, Mid-Columbia Housing Authority, MidColumbia Community Action Council, and MidColumbia Houseless Collaborative.
Goldendale City Councilor Miland Waling promised to continue working on connecting with the area’s congressional delegation on housing issues. Councilor Steve Johnston appreciated everyone’s testimony but indicated he didn’t hear a solution for the immediate problem in the town’s recreation areas and said the council would reach out to partners for further action.
Many comments throughout the night focused on residents coming together to help one another. “We need the community to step up,” said Chief Smith. “If you love your community, get involved.”
Christopher agreed, “When you see graffiti, cover it up. It takes us all.”
He suggested the City reach out to the probation office and see if they can also get litter crews out for a few hours.
Songer offered to have the Sheriff’s Office Posse members help patrol the problematic areas.
County Commissioner Jacob Anderson asked for a comprehensive list of organizations that everyone could draw on, and he was immediately provided with the Columbia Gorge Resource Network available online at C-gorge-resourceguide. com and in print through prevention offices, WAGAP, and Recovery Cafe.
“The solutions are already here,” Anderson said. “They are in the room.”
“You’re the experts,” said Canon. “You have seen the conditions and situations of the victims of drug addiction and its impact on mental illness. You know the terrible conditions they face. I am challenging each of you to try to place yourself in their shoes and realize the pain, suffering, and fear they must endure each day: addicted, unemployable, and homeless. Thank you all for your very helpful input tonight.”
After the meeting, Smith added, “I feel we have accomplished the beginnings of a more open communication between the public, resource agencies, and law enforcement by helping educate each other on the role of their agency and what resources are out there.”
The official next steps are to be determined, but the general consensus in the room was that people should get involved with whichever group best suits them to help make a difference in the community.
E xtra
The Washington Outdoors Report: The Christmas Bird Count
John Kruse
For The SenTinel
The Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count gets underway December 14 and continues through January 5, 2024. The Christmas Bird Count was started by the newly formed Audubon Society in 1900 and called the Christmas Bird Census. The counts took place in 25 different areas, primarily in the Northeastern United States but also west to Pacific Grove, California, and north to Toronto, Canada. The 27 bird watchers participating in this first bird count tallied a total of 90 different species.
Today, tens of thousands of birding enthusiasts venture out across the nation (and beyond) for the annual Christmas Bird Count. This citizen survey of birds over time has cataloged declines in some species, improving numbers in others, and migration changes. The counts occur on a single designated day in an established circle. Each circle has a diameter of 15 miles and a compiler sets up a day, time, and location for volunteers
to meet before venturing out into the circle in their area. The results of the survey are then given to the compiler who submits them to the Audubon Society. Some of the trends in Washington State over the last 50 years include an increase in American Kestrel numbers. Also known as a sparrow hawk, this species has seen a nearly three percent increase per year. On the opposite end, the American Band-tailed Pigeon has declined some 2.6 percent a year during this same timeframe.
In our readership area, here’s details about Christmas Bird Counts taking place:
COLVILLE – December 16 is the date. The compiler is Barbara Harding. She can be contacted by email at stellerjay@hotmail.com.
CHEWELAH – December 30. Compiler Mike Munts with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be contacted at michael_munts@fws.gov.
GRAND COULEE –Date TBD – The compiler is David St. George. You can each him by email at stgeorged79@gmail.com.
BRIDGEPORT – December 14 – Michael Schroeder
with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is the compiler. You can contact him at michael. schroeder@dfw.wa.gov.
OMAK – OKANOGAN – December 30 – Matthew Danielson is the coordinator. You can email him at mattie_rubio@hotmail. com.
CHELAN – December 28 – You can reach compiler Amy Pavelchek with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at amy. pavelchek@dfw.wa.gov.
LEAVENWORTH –December 19 – Tucker Jonas with the Wenatchee River Institute is the compiler for this one. Contact him by email at tjonas@wenatcheeriverinstitute.org.
WENATCHEE – December 31 – Dan Stephens at Wenatchee Valley College will be coordinating this one. You can reach him at dstephens@wvc.edu.
COLUMBIA HILLS –KLICITAT VALLEY – New Years Day – Samuel Holman is the man to contact for this bird count. Email him at sam4cb@embarqmail.com. If you are looking for a great excuse to get outdoors for a good cause, get involved in this year’s
School board meeting notes
Alex Gorrod attends meetings of the Goldendale School District and offers his notes on them. These are not official minutes of the meetings.
I was able to attend the Goldendale School District Board Meeting on Monday, December 11th. Here are some of the highlights, check out the full agenda online at: https:// meetings.boardbook.org/ Public/ Agenda/ 780?meeting=612146.0
1. The meeting started with the swearing in of the three directors who just won election: Deborah Heart, Betty Richards, and Chris Twohy. Following this, the board did its annual reorganization by re-electing Ms. Heart as Board Chair and Ms. Richards as Board Vice-Chair. Mr. Twohy was appointed as the WIAA representative, and Ms. Heart was appointed as Legislative representative.
2. Debbie Tobin (GPS LAP Para) and Joseph Davitt (GMS SPED Para) were hired.
3. Resignation or nonrenewal was accepted from or for Melissa Still (GMS Assistant Track Coach).
4. Dean Schlenker (Business Manager) reported that the general fund is at $1,309,261. This is down from last month ($1,540,363) and from last year ($1,611,017).
5. Mr. Schlenker also reported on enrollment. (FTE stands for Full Time Equivalent; every FTE is
worth $10,000 in funding.) GPS had a 298.8 FTE (last year it was 289.75). GMS had a 259.7 FTE (Last year it was 257.71). GHS had a 304.4 FTE (last year it was 293). This 37.5 above budget. Online had a 2032.78 FTE (Last year it was 2043).
6. Lastly, Mr. Schlenker reported on two facilities updates. The first is that the floor at the High School (which was laid improperly this summer) will go through two phases of repair. The first will take place during winter break and the second will take place later in the spring with the hope to be completed before April. The second update was on the track and football field repair. They have updated the pricing but will wait to move on any further until after the levy vote.
7. Ms. Hedges (Principal at GPS) reported that they have 301 students, with 6 new students starting school in the first week of December. They have 3 upcoming holiday programs two which have passed. The remaining one is for Kindergarten on Friday, December 15, at 10:15 a.m.
8. Ms. Lummio (Principal at GMS) reported that they currently have 256 students enrolled. She mentioned the upcoming drama performance “A Christmas Carol from Two Views” with shows on Friday, December 15, at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, December 16, at 2 p.m. They are also in the
midst of planning the 2nd Annual Family Resource Health Fair that will take place during conferences.
9. Mr. Westerman (Principal at GHS) reported that winter activities have begun (basketball, wrestling, and drama). The high school had their first semester Renaissance Assembly, and 60% of 10th-12th grade students received Purple, Gold, or Strive cards for academic achievement. 33% of these received academic letters. They also gave out awards to students who had excellent and perfect attendance.
10. Ms. Ward (SPED Director) reported that the SPED population grew by 6 new transfers with IEPs (Individualized Educational Program) already in place. They are still looking for a nurse for one of their students, and the information on that can be found on the ESD website or a link to it can be found on the school district website.
11. Logan Telford (Student Representative) reported on the upcoming activities at GHS.
Check out the previous minutes for meetings on the district website. Anyone interested in what is going on at the school district is encouraged to make it to an upcoming meeting.
The next board work session will be Monday, January 8, at 6:30 p.m. in the GPS library. The next regular meeting will be Monday, January 22, at 7 p.m. in the GHS cafeteria.
Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Both experienced and new birding enthusiasts are urged to participate. Compilers will put begin-
ners with more experienced bird watchers. You can find out more details about this annual event at www.audubon.org/conservation/join-
C LASSIFIEDS
hand warmers and large front pocket. Supported knee pads and size 8 insulated 1200 gram boot. Hardly used by Caddis. Retail $300, sell for $175. Call/text 541490-6113, preferably between 8am-6pm.
VHS Player, Zenith brand.
$20. 541-965-2251.
DOG House for a largersized dog. $15. 541-9789892.
WINDSHIELD Washer Pump, 12 volt for a 1997 Honda Accord. $20. 541965-2251.
TIRES & Wheels. Off a Toyota 4 x 4 pickup, 15”. $85. 541354-1748. RED Copper Brownie Pan. $20. 541-965-2251.
CASSETTE Box with Cassette Tapes. $40. 541-9652251. MATTRESS Set, double sized. Used very little. $50. Possible delivery. 541-3541748. ZENITH colored 21” TV with tubes $100. 541-965-2251.
DVD Player. $20. 541-9652251. COMPONENT stereo, plays 5 discs, also plays cassettes, 2 speakers, $100. 541-9652251.
TV Stand, $150. 541-965-2251
Tools
Vintage Metal Toolbox, 30” with tray recently painted and powder coated. $75. 541-490-7254. Carson.
Sporting Goods
NOTICE Certain laws and restrictions, as well as registration requirements, apply to the sale of firearms. For more information, contact the Seattle Field Division of the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms at 206204-3205. This field division is responsible for Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii. You may also go to www.atf.gov for FAQs and information.
WADERS
Hunting waterfowl waders. Shell holders, hand warmers and large front pocket. Supported knee pads and size 8 insulated 1200 gram boot. Hardly used by Caddis. Retail $300, sell for $175. Call/ text 541-490-6113, preferably between 8am-6pm.
Dogs
Lupes’ & Cliffs Pug Breeders
AKC purebred Pug Puppies for sale and one to re-home. Call or text 541-978-8786.
TOY POODLE PUPPIES
Pure bred, home raised. From $800. Text please, 541325-6212.
Open Saturdays & Wednesdays! 9am-12pm Masks are optional
Hood River Valley Christian Church 975 Indian Creek Rd. Hood River
HUGE LAST CHANCE SALE 2023
LAST SALE OF 2023 Saturday, Dec. 16 8am to 3pm 916 Forden Drive Hood River (Just off of Belmont Drive) China Cabinet, Dressers, Recliner, Chests, Shelves, Queen Mattress Set, Desks, File Cabinet, Toys, huge amount of all kinds of household items, kitchenware, bedding, lots of books, furniture, clothes, hundreds of DVDs, CDs, TONS OF
PUBLISHER’S
of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women & people securing custody of children under 19. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any adverting for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-6699777, TTY/TDD: 1-800-9279275.
THE DALLES - 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartments for rent. $1575/month $1500 deposit. WSG paid. No pets. Please call for information, 541-298-7015.
Help Wanted HOOD RIVER COUNTY IS HIRING:
Environmental Health Specialist Visit: www.hoodrivercounty.gov Services; Employment MAINTENANCE WORKER
Sherman County Road Department is accepting applications for a Maintenance Worker. Must possess ability to obtain Class A CDL within 6 months of date of hire. The person will perform a variety of manual and skilled tasks involving heavy lifting; operating heavy and specialized equipment in the general construction and maintenance of county roads, bridges and related facilities. All road department personnel are subject to random drug testing. Before hiring, applicants must pass a drug screening and criminal history/background check. Applications are available on Sherman County’s website: co.sherman.or.us and from the Sherman County Road Department (phone: 541-565-3271 or 541-5653623) in Moro, Oregon. In accordance with applicable laws, veterans who meet the minimum qualifications for the position may be eligible for veterans’ preference in public employment. Sherman County is an equal opportunity employer. Position will remain open until filled.
MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN
NORCOR Corrections is seeking to fill the position of Mental Health Clinician. This position is full time with great benefits. Criminal record may disqualify. Must have drivers license, pass background, drug, physical and other testing as indicated by the position. Per OHA mandate, COVID vaccination required. Application & full job description available at https://www.norcor.co/ adult/jobs/ or @ NORCOR Admin. Office 201 Webber Street, The Dalles. Open until filled. 541-298-1576.
LOOKING for a new job?
Browse employment ads from throughout the Gorge on our classified websites: thedalleschronicle.com hoodrivernews.com whitesalmonenterprise. com
CRYSTAL SPRINGS WATER DISTRICT
Crystal Springs Water District is hiring for Meter Reader/ Utility Worker I/II. Go to cswdhr.com for additional details.
1ST SECURITY BANK IS HIRING!
We are looking for an amazing individual to fill our Personal Banker I position at our Goldendale Branch. This person will be responsible for excellent customer service and sales skills. For more information, check out our careers page at fsbwa. com/careers
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 541-308-2207 or visit www.nextdoorinc.org/ fosterparent to apply.
LIVE & WORK in JAPAN
The Hood River-Tsuruta Sister City Committee is seeking an individual to live and work in Tsuruta, Japan as the sister city program’s Coordinator of International Relations.
This is a salaried position with benefits including housing assistance. This position requires a minimum one-year commitment. Essential duties include teaching English to students of all ages, maintaining lines of communication between the two cities, assisting with exchange activities and planning cultural events.
Applicants must be a resident of Hood River and either hold a bachelor’s degree or obtain one by June 30, 2023. For more information and additional application requirements contact LisaAnn Kawachi at lisakawachi@yahoo. com or 541-490-0338.
THE TICKET to a dream job might be a scam. Please be cautious! High-Paying Postal Jobs! No Experience Required! Don’t pay for information about jobs with the Postal Service or Federal Government. Call the Federal Trade Commission toll free @ 1-877-FTC-HELP, or visit www.ftc.gov to learn more. A public service message from Teh Dalles Chronicle and the FTC.
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
HOOD RIVER COUNTY IS HIRING:
Deputy District Attorney Visit: www.hoodrivercounty.gov Services; Employment
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
WINDOW
CORTES
EMAIL:
Construction
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: hirealicensedcontractor.com
Landscaping SYS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ADVERTISE STATEWIDE with a $325 classified listing or $1600 for a display ad. Call this newspaper at (509) 773-3777 for details.
DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details, 855-635-4229.
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Request a FREE Quote. Call now before the next power outage: 1-888-674-7053.
Not so long ago, newspapers carried serialized stories, especially at Christmas. The same was true of The Goldendale Sentinel, back in an era when stories to warm the heart, at the warmest season of the year, were in fashion. Return with us now to that time of magic and mystery as we present a serial written specifically for The Sentinel, repeated this year as a new holiday tradition.
Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays…” wafted through the speakers of the SUV. It was late. Wilson Barnes glanced over at Jennifer, his wife, who was doing her best to stay awake and keep him company on this cold winter’s night drive, but she appeared to be losing the battle as her head nodded yet again. In the rearview mirror his 14-year-old daughter, Samantha, was thumbing a text to one of her many friends. At the other end of the backseat, for the umpteenth time, nine-year old Joshua shook the snow globe he insisted on bringing on this trip. Banjo, their Golden Retriever, was asleep between them.
They were driving on a deserted state road through a pine forest in central Washington State toward a lodge in northern Idaho. As a couple of flakes began to fall, Wilson again questioned his wisdom in pulling off the interstate an hour earlier to take this more “scenic” route, especially since it was now so dark he couldn’t see beyond the headlights. And not a single other car had passed in either direction. But the tank was full, and the kids, amazingly enough, seemed content. Wilson was pulled into the hypnotic lull of the highway, along with, unfortunately, his own thoughts—the very ones he had hoped this vacation would bring relief from.
“Barnes,” his publisher had admonished three days earlier, a whiny insistence punctuating every other word. “You’re getting further and further behind schedule with that story. If you don’t get it here in a week, it won’t make the next issue, and we’ll be in a world of hurt, a world of hurt here!”
“I know, Monty.” Wilson’s sigh couldn’t come close to expressing the resignation he had been feeling over this latest project.
“But nothing is coming! You asked for ‘warm and fuzzy,’ but I don’t do warm and fuzzy. I don’t even know where to start.”
“Oh, c’mon, Barnes! Everybody knows warm and fuzzy. Think back to when you were a kid at Christmastime, for Pete’s sake. Write about how warm and fuzzy that felt. Just get it here in a week—that’s seven days, Barnes! Not a minute longer!” The phone clicked off in Monty’s typically perfunctory style before Wilson could object, leaving him in an energy of fuming frustration.
Even Jen’s understanding of the situation did little to alleviate his distress.
“You’ve had writer’s block before,” she reminded him. “It never lasts very long. You just need to get your mind off the story for a couple of days. A little recreational distraction should do the trick.”
“Really? And just where are we going to find a little ‘recreational distraction’ this close to Christmas?” he demanded sarcastically with a pout.
Jen smiled conspiratorially. “Funny you should ask…”
Wilson inwardly groaned, in no mood for solutions. He just wanted to sulk.
“Pam called this very morning and asked if we could take their timeshare at a very popular lodge in Idaho she and Bruce reserved almost a year ago. His aunt took a turn for the worse yesterday, poor dear, so they feel they need to be with her instead. Pam told me we were their first choice to go in their place— besides, everyone else’s plans have already been made.”
An original Christmas story just for Sentinel readers
The family proceeded on, climbing toward the numinous hamlet, a sense of comfort and wellbeing increasing as they drew closer. The last hundred feet or so was steep, and they were quite winded when they finally reached the cobble-stoned entrance to the enchanting village. On the right side of the entrance, the words “Welcome to Wassailville” had been intricately carved in large, flourishing letters into an ancient, five-foot thick log, nestled on its side for what could have been centuries.
“Told ya!” Sam exclaimed, pointing triumphantly to the sign.
On the left was an ornate, iron pole, from which hung a horizontal figure-eight symbol.
“Infinity!” Josh pointed this time.
“Infinity?” Wil repeated. “Did you learn that in math, Bud?”
“No!” Josh laughed as though his dad were clueless.
“Philosophy!” Wil stared at Jen. “Since when are 10-year-olds taking Philosophy?”
“It’s a progressive school, remember? That’s what you wanted for him, Hon.”
Jen watched Wilson’s sullen face expectantly. When he said nothing, she went on gently. “Hon, this is the perfect solution, don’t you see? We haven’t had a family vacation in… well, forever. It’s a lovely drive to a beautiful place – I already looked it up on the internet. And it will be just the break you need to clear your mind.”
Wilson, still resisting without knowing why, tried, “I don’t want their charity.”
“Who said anything about charity? The price is quite reasonable, and Pam said they’re happy for us to pay them back after your next story is published.”
“You mean ‘if’ it’s ever published,” he grumbled.
“Oh, Wil, you’re being overly dramatic.” She smiled and kissed him, an effect that usually softened any dour mood. “This will work. I just know it will.”
“Seven more days ’til Christmas, and we’ve still got sales galore at Tot’s Toy Town. But don’t wait! Deals like this won’t last!” The radio blared through the speakers, jarring Wil out of his trance. He reached over to turn it off. To his surprise everyone else was now asleep. Even more surprising, the earlier flurries had escalated to a full-scale blizzard. He puzzled over this, recalling that the forecasts had been for clear weather. As visibility decreased, he slowed the vehicle to a crawl. The windshield wipers thumped away frenetically, barely keeping up with the accumulation. His anxiety heightened when he found himself in a total white-out, no longer able to see even the road in front of him.
He continued inching the vehicle forward until the trees crowded in on him. There seemed to be nowhere to go. Fortunately, the tank was full, so he left it running to stay warm as he considered their options. This freak tempest had to let up soon. He wondered uneasily, not for the first time, if they were lost. He pulled out his smart phone to check their location. No signal.
Josh, who Wil had been certain was asleep, startled him upon blurting out, “Hey! Look at that light up there.” He was peering out the right rear window.
This roused Samantha, who asked with a yawn, “Hey, Dad, why are we stopped?”
Josh remained more interested on the object of his focus and persisted, “Wow, it’s really bright!”
This got Sam’s attention, and she leaned down to peer up toward the light. “That is bright!” she agreed. “Dad, do you think it could be a fire?”
Wil, who had been distracted by their predicament, finally glanced in the direction the kids were
pointing. A chill crept up his spine as he looked into the eerie luminescence.
“No…” he said cautiously, “I’m pretty sure that’s not a fire. Fires flicker. This looks like a steady glow.”
At this point Jennifer awoke. “Where are we?” She looked around in bewilderment. “Wil, why aren’t we moving anymore?”
“This storm…” Wil gestured. “I can’t see a darn thing except…” He pointed to the light. Jen’s eyes followed the projection of his finger.
Her mouth dropped open.
“How can we see such a light but can barely see two feet in front of us through all this snow?”
“Dad, roll the window down a crack,” Josh ordered. “I think I hear something.”
Wil pushed the window button to lower it an inch.
Sam scooted over next to her brother and leaned forward to press her ear against the gap.
“He’s right, Dad! It’s music!”
“Someone must live up there!” Josh suggested eagerly.
Wil frowned. “I can’t imagine anyone playing music outside or having their windows open in a storm like this.”
like a cool place.”
“OK, let me see what you got.” Wil reached over the seat, and Sam handed the cell to him with a shrug.
“Just as I thought,” Wil said, staring at the screen and tilting the phone back and forth. “There’s nothing here. Not a single bar.”
“Now you’re fibbin’!” Sam snapped. “I know what I saw!” She leaned forward and snatched the phone back from Wil, pressing the screen.
“See!” She turned the illuminated screen toward him, a look of defiance on her face.
“I can’t see behind me, Sam. Let’s have it again.” She handed it to him, but as soon as his eyes focused, once more there was no signal. “Very funny, Sam.”
“I’m not joking!” Sam’s voice rose in indignation until Wil held the phone up for her to see. “That can’t be?!” Now she was confused, taking the phone back from Wil. She pressed the screen multiple times.
The whole village glimmered. A thick blanket of pristine snow covered everything like a luxurious coat of ivory fleece.
“Is there a town around here?” Jen asked.
“I’m not sure where ‘around here’ is,” Wil muttered.
“Are we lost?” Jen could not keep the undercurrent of fear out of her voice. Wil didn’t answer, feeling responsible for their quandary.
“Dad, let’s go see what that music is!” Josh persisted.
Wil shook his head. “I think we need to stay put until this storm passes.”
“Can you at least pull off the road, so no one hits us from behind?” Jen demanded.
“I don’t think we’re even on the road anymore.” Wil looked down sheepishly.
“How is that possible?” Jen exclaimed accusingly. “Well, then turn on the map light, so I can check the GPS on my cell.”
“Don’t bother,” Wil responded dejectedly. “We’re in a dead zone.”
“No, we’re not,” Sam corrected from the back seat.
“My phone says we’re in Wassailville.”
“That’s a weird name,” Josh commented.
“Oh, come on, Sam!” Wil managed a chuckle, very familiar with his fourteenyear-old daughter’s proclivity toward pranks.
“Don’t believe me, then!” She retorted. “But it sounds
“This stupid thing!” She flicked the display with her fingernail in irritation.
“Careful with that. Those things aren’t cheap,” Wil warned. Then to assure her, “We’ll get our signals back soon enough. Remember, nothing is ever—”
“—as bad as it seems,” Sam finished in a mocking tone.
Can’t blame her for the sarcasm, Wil thought, especially when things are usually worse.
“Dad, please let’s go see what that music is!” Josh persevered, oblivious to the cell phone grievances. “It sounds like Christmas carols.”
“Well.” Wil looked toward the luminescence. “Maybe I should go…”
“No!” Jen looked petrified. “Not in this storm! You might freeze to death! Besides, you don’t know what’s out there!”
“I hardly think anything sinister is going to come from the source of Christmas music.” Wil smiled and reached for his hat and gloves.
“You’ve not watched horror movies, have you, Wil?” Jen asked. “There’s a bunch of films about people getting stuck at Christmas time and—”
“You’re not helping,” Wil interrupted. “I’m sure this is perfectly safe. And I know how to stay warm. I was a Boy Scout, remember?”
“I’m coming too!” Josh yelled.
“Me too!” added Sam,
dropping the useless phone into her backpack.
“Absolutely not!” Jen objected frantically. “We can all stay right here ’til morning.”
“The gas may not last that long, Jen.” Wil reasoned. “And I’ll just bet there’s shelter, warmth, and food there. Besides, we’ll have Banjo with us.” Jen acquiesced, with nature’s many bodily calls, especially hunger, taking precedence. In a matter of minutes the entire Barnes clan, bundled up in boots, coats, hats, gloves, and scarves, Banjo at the helm, were trudging through heavy snow toward the light and music. Banjo pranced happily ahead, leading the family through foot deep snow toward the radiance that lit their way, his tail conveying sheer jubilation. The kids rushed ahead to join the Golden Retriever while the parents trudged behind. Jen, who chilled easily, wrapped the thick wool scarf snugly around her neck and head until only her nose and eyes could be seen through the dense precipitation. She took Wil’s arm and pulled him close for added warmth.
“What is that light?” she asked, a note of awe in her voice. “It looks like a beacon of some kind.”
“Don’t know, but it feels OK, whatever it is,” Wil replied, his breath coming out in white puffs.
“Kids, stay close!” Jen called, as they got further away. But the heavy snowfall muffled her voice, and they were quickly out of sight around a bend. The parents’ momentary panic gave way to relief when they heard Banjo barking and the kids’ laughter. They caught up to them in a clearing.
“I told you to stay close!” Jen scolded.
But the kids were grinning joyously.
“What is it?” Wil asked.
“Look!” Josh pointed upward to where the light had been. There was now a single, radiant star beaming down on a softly glowing village. They stood gazing at what could have been a Christmas painting masterpiece.
“Oh! How beautiful!” Jen exclaimed.
“And, look, it’s stopped snowing!” Sam announced matter-of-factly. Jen snapped out of her state of awe and looked around. “That kind of storm doesn’t just stop that quickly!” But there was no longer a single snowflake in the air, and above them, as a backdrop to the luminous star, an inky blue, crystalline sky was strewn with thousands upon thousands of twinkling lights. She looked at Wil who shrugged, equally bemused. Yet, like the kids, neither felt the slightest trepidation any longer.
Shaking his head, Wil followed Jen and the kids into a winter wonderland of weathered stone buildings and quaint dwellings with thatched roofs. Icicles hung from all the eaves and glistened as though lit from within. The whole village glimmered. A thick blanket of pristine snow covered everything like a luxurious coat of ivory fleece. The streets were empty with not a snowy footprint to be seen, but they felt aliveness humming all around them.
“This looks like my snow globe come to life!” Josh exclaimed.
“Yes,” Jen agreed in astonishment, “it does.”
“And where’s that music coming from?” Sam wondered. She slowly pirouetted, her face turned upward. The rest of the family looked around for the source of the melody as well, upon realizing it had never stopped. But it wasn’t originating from any single place. There were no speakers and no open windows. The tune seemed to emanate from the structures around them, rise from the ground beneath them, fall from the sky above.
“It sounds familiar,” Will commented.
“Yeah, I think I’ve heard it before too,” Jen acknowledged. “But I don’t know…”
“What’s Banjo doing?” Josh pointed to the dog who was sitting in front of one of the houses across the street, looking up at the front door, tail wagging, as though he knew this house and was extending his canine salutation. They watched in wonder as the door opened a crack, and a hand reached out to offer him something. Banjo happily accepted it and ran over to join the rest of family.
“What is that?” Sam asked as Banjo dropped the treat before them for their approval before gobbling it up.
“Bacon?” Wil speculated.
“That was… very kind,” Jen commented, her eyes trailing back to the house.
“Who lives in this town?” Sam queried to no one in particular.
“Well, whoever they are, they seem to like dogs,” Will responded.
They were startled to suddenly hear footsteps crunching the snow behind them and spun around to see a young couple approaching, arm-in-arm, beaming smiles of welcome. They were dressed all in white: long winter coats, woolen hats, and mittens. Even their boots matched the ensemble.
“Where’ve you been?” The man asked.
“We’ve been waiting for hours,” the woman added. Parents and kids looked at each other and then behind them to see who the couple could possibly be talking to.
“You are the Barneses, right?” The woman inquired with a knowing grin.
Check It Out
Jan Johnston,Collection Manager FortVancouver Regional Library District You can emailJan atreadingforfun@fvrlorg FromtimetotimeIliketopickadateandsearchforeventsthat
•“All the Knowledge in theWorld:The Extraordinary History of the Encyclopedia”bySimon Garfield
•“Beyond Measure:The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants” by JamesVincent
•“The Life andTimes ofTH Gallaudet” by Edna Edith Sayers
• Marie Curie and Her Daughters:The Private Lives of
Five simpleholiday hostinghacks
wrapped in colorful holiday wrappers
3 Planfor entertainment When a well-acquainted group gathers the party has a way of takingon a Iifeofitsown Incaseofaslowstart, or if youre entertaining different groups of friends who dont know each other well it’s a good idea to prepare some options to get guests mingling and engaged A playlist of holiday music creates a festive atmosphere and planning a few interactive games ahead of timecanhelpbreak the ice
4 Pace your preparations Make aconscious effort to spread your party prep over the days and weeks leading up to your event Saving all the cooking and cleaning until the day of the party only leaveshostsexhausted beforeguestsevenarrive Instead, make a list of everything you need to accomplish around the house and tackle a few chores each night Do your shopping a few days ahead so ingredients are still fresh but you aren’t left scrambling Prepare any dishes that can be refrigerated or frozen ahead of time
5 Anticipate guests needs The secret to great hosting isn’t really a secret at all; it’s simply making sureyourguestsfeelwelcomeand comfortable Providing a secure
spot for coats and handbags, offering a drink when they arrive and making sure they can find essentials like the restroom may seem obvious but they’re easily overlooked basics If you worry youll be too busy in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the meal, recruit a friend or family membertoact in your place Find more inspiration and other holiday-worthy recipes at athome starbuckscom
• homemade or store-bought caramelsauce 1pinchnutmeg
Placeice in16-ounceglass Brew gingerbread coffee with water andpour intoglass Addcaramelcreamer Stir Topwithwhippedcream drizzle of caramelsauceandnutmeg
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myAuntieJo wouldwear atChristmas Iknew therewouldbeglitterorsequins andprobably both It would be the sort of outfit a person would wear only for a very special day and seeingAuntieJodressedupmadeitaspecial dayfor me I understand getting dressed up is not for everyone A tree is a lot of work And I don’t think holiday preparations should be a burden something
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presents and we had a wonderful
but seeingmyAuntieJodressedinherChristmas finery was alwaysahighlightfor me I am still lucky enough to see my AuntieJo at Christmas And, although I will never wear sequinsas well asshedid, I domy
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of bags of unwrapped gifts and luggage And this was, for me, the officialstart of Christmas Auntie Jo would head downstairs to wrap presents and at some point their dog Twinkie wouldmakeamaddashoutthedoor We’dallscourtheneighborhooduntilwefound Twinkie Then Auntie Jo would go to change her clothes and emerge more resplendent than theChristmas tree
to mark this passage of time;I want to make thisday differentfromother days Dressingup forChristmas remindsmethat weneedsome extrasparkle inthisdarkest time of year And so (while I try to take it easy on Peter) I am decorating the house and I’m lighting toomanycandles AndIalready have adress pickedoutforChristmas To see photos, check out CarrieClassonAuthor on Facebook or visit CarrieClasson com
1) Supperscraps 2) Versifier 3) On aslow boat to 4) Resemblingewe? 5) Calmortranquil 6) Carroll'sadventuress 7) Physicsparticle
From Yule logs to sugar cookies, tamales to turkey, every corner of the world has its own traditional foods during the holiday season. It doesn’t matter if you celebrate Hanukkah or Christmas, Diwali or Bodhi, religious celebrations usually end with a feast shared by friends or family. Holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg. Its original meaning was celebrating a special religious day or, “holy day”. The foods that go along with these holy days can be regional and most are historical. Let’s discover some holiday foods from around the world.
Yule Log from Belgium Diwali is India’s biggest celebration of holy days. It began 2,500 years ago and is mostly celebrated by Hindus. India is in Southeast Asia. Along with many sweets one traditional food eaten during Diwali is Samosa. Samosa is a triangle piece of pastry filled with different meats. There are many Christians in Asia who celebrate Christmas who feast together. In Korea many people feast on foods we know like pizza and fried chicken. A more traditional food is Tteokguk or rice cake soup.
Smartypants Academy!
Parents and teachers! Scan this for instructional materials and recipes!
Why was the snowman going through the bag of carrots?
Point your phone at this for videos of recipes and different foods!
Much of Europe including Spain and Britain shared traditional foods with colonies like the United States, Australia and New Spain. Red Borscht and Pierogi from Poland may sit on a table next to Gingerbread Cookies. Spain brought holiday cookies and breads and took tamales back to Europe with them. Tamales have become a favorite holiday food throughout South, Central and North America as well as some spots around the world. Britain and France both brought over a version of the Yule Log. Britain shared Turkey, ham, mince pies and pastries. One traditional Christmas food that can be recognized wherever you are is the Gingerbread House, which came from Germany.
With the internet connecting so many parts of the world together we no longer share food with just friends and family. We share our food with other cultures on every continent. What is your favorite holiday food?
Get help from a grown-up and make this holiday recipe! These are a favorite of our family here at Smartypants! These are fun to make, fun to look at, and even more fun to eat!
One Jar of Maraschino Cherries with stems
One bag. Hershey Kisses, unwrapped 4 oz. milk chocolate chips, melted 1/4 c. sliced almonds
Red piping icing for decorating
One package of Oreo cookies,
Instructions
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave oven, stirring at 15 second intervals until melted.
Grab a cherry by its tail (stem), dip it into the melted chocolate and place it on its side on waxed paper. You just made the mouse’s body and tail!
While the chocolate it still gooey on the mouse’s body, stick the flat side of a Hershey’s kiss to it with the pointy part facing in the opposite direction of the tail. Now your mouse has a head!
Poke two sliced almonds between the body and head for ears while the chocolate is still gooey. Now he’s got ears!
While the chocolate cools, twist the Oreo cookies in half and lay them on a sheet of wax paper, icing side up.
Gently press each mouse onto a cookie, then pipe on icing for eyes and a nose!
Keep going until you have a whole army of sweet little mice!
Samosas from India
Borscht from Poland
He was picking his nose! Bahaha!
Tamales from Mexico
This Holiday Season...
shop eat read LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL
Local businesses and restaurants need your support more than ever this holiday season. And they’ve come up with creative ways for you to shop safely through delivery, pickup and online.
Find all the information you need to make the most of your holidays in your local newspaper. In print and online you’ll find the best shopping deals, ideas on what to do with your family and the latest news to help you celebrate safely this season.
