Goldendale Sentinel December 24, 2025

The Sentinel’s interview with Santa

On Christmas Eve, as families gather and the year’s busiest season finally grows quiet, we offer something a little different on these pages—a moment of wonder.

For generations, Santa Claus has been part of the stories we share, the hopes we carry, and the magic children hold close to their hearts. Today, before the sleigh lifts off, Santa agreed to pause for a few minutes and answer questions from children and adults with children still in their hearts.

We invite you to read this together, perhaps aloud, and to keep it as part of your family’s Christmas tradition. Merry Christmas from all of us at The Sentinel.

A Christmas Eve interview with Santa Claus

The Sentinel: Santa, thank you for taking time to talk with us on such a busy night. How ready are you for Christmas?

Santa Claus: I’ve been ready since about July—but I always feel a little extra excited on Christmas Eve. There’s something special in the air, don’t you think?

The Sentinel: Children always wonder—how do you visit every home in one night?

Santa Claus: Well, I can’t give away all my secrets, but I will say this: when love and kindness are involved, time has a way of stretching just enough.

Tis The season

Tis The season

Commisioners consider giant flag for courthouse lawn

RodgeR Nichols

FoR The seNTiNel

Klickitat County Commissioners covered a lot of issues at their next-to-last meeting of the year on December 16. During the morning workshop session, Public Works Director Jeff Hunter gave updates on a couple of issues. He said he has been getting a lot of questions about a giant flag local philanthropist Ty Ross hopes to place at the Goldendale courthouse.

“The last thing we have to put together is what the cost is going to be to replace the light on top of the flag,” he said. “I’ve heard costs at as much as $50,000 to get a crane in here, get it assembled to change a light bulb. That’s why people don’t put in 200-foot [flagpoles]. Once we get that cost, it will be time to meet with the board, with Ty and Scott [Edelman] and see what they can do

to offset the costs.”

Hunter also surprised commissioners by informing them he’d had a survey of homeowners done in the service area of the Dallesport Wastewater District. He said he’d teamed up with MCEDD, the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District. They’d sent three teams of two, each consisting of one person from MCEDD and one from the county, and were able to reach about 25 percent of the district. It was a very simple survey, he said, with only three questions. The first was to establish they were talking to the owner of the property, rather than a guest or visitor.

The second asked, on a scale of one to 10, how happy the homeowner was with the current wastewater service, and the third noted Klickitat County is considering turning over ownership of the Dallesport wastewa-

ter system to its current operator, Klickitat PUD. The response on the second question averaged 7.51 out of 10. And for the third question, Hunter said, “12.6 percent said they would support the change in ownership, 61.2 felt neutral, and 26.2 said they would not support the change in ownership.” He said he kept the survey under wraps initially because he wanted a true sample without any advance community discussion. The proposal to turn over the treatment plant has been strongly opposed in the past by the board of the Dallesport Water District, believing they are best suited to operate the plant. Also in the morning workshop session, Planning Director Scott Edelman argued for a comprehensive update to the planning department’s fee schedule, justifying the changes as necessary

St. Nick talks about his busy time of year

The Sentinel: What do you notice most when you visit homes?

Santa Claus: The quiet moments. A light left on. A pair of shoes by the door. A plate of cookies made with care. And sometimes a handwritten note in crooked letters. Those things mean more to me than any gift.

The Sentinel: Do you really keep a naughty and nice list?

Santa Claus: I keep a tryingtheir-best list. Every child has good days and hard days. What matters is they keep learning how to be kind—to others and to themselves.

The Sentinel: Santa, what is the North Pole like right now?

Santa Claus: Busy—but happy busy. There’s music playing in every workshop, bells ringing in the halls, and more laughter than you can imagine. The elves call it “the joyful rush.”

The Sentinel: What do the elves do when they’re not making toys?

Santa Claus: They read, they bake, they sing, and they help one another. Elves are very good at teamwork—and very good at reminding me when it’s time to take a break and drink some cocoa.

The Sentinel: Is there one elf who’s in charge?

Santa Claus: Oh, no no—elves work best together. Some are excellent builders, some are great

Newhouse looks to exit Congress on his terms

JeRRy coRNField

WashiNgToN sTaTe sTaNdaRd

For a while, Republican U.S.

Rep. Dan Newhouse says he’s been hearing a little voice in the back of his head telling him it might be time to step aside.

Last Wednesday, he announced he’d decided to follow that impulse and would not run for reelection next year in the 4th Congressional District in central Washington.

“I came into Congress thinking I’d probably spend 10 years. I just came to the conclusion and made the decision,” he said. “It’s not been an overnight decision.”

“I just want to make clear that I’ve got a year to go on my term, and I’m going to work very hard to fulfill my responsibilities and serve my constituents,” he added.

It has been a rough and tumble year for Congress, marked by a record-long government shutdown during which the House never met. And for Newhouse, it’s not been easy navigating the turbulence created when he voted to impeach Donald Trump in 2021.

But the 70-year-old congressman insisted Wednesday that those factors didn’t drive his decision.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “A lot of people may disagree with

some of the positions, some of the votes I’ve taken, but most people respect others who stand for something and who vote their conscience and can justify the positions they take. It’s not been a detriment or a negative thing.”

Newhouse, of Sunnyside, has held the seat since 2015. Before that, he served in the Washington House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009. Then, for four years, he was director of the state Department of Agriculture under then-Gov. Christine Gregoire, a Democrat. Newhouse’s family operates an 850-acre farm. He has balanced his conservative politics with pragmatism, making him accessible to Democratic House members especially on agriculture, farm labor, and immigration policies, all critical to his district.

“Dan has always brought a principled commitment to public service. I’m grateful to call him a colleague and friend all these years,” U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Medina, posted on X. DelBene served with Newhouse in the Gregoire administration when she led the state Department of Revenue.

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, a leading voice for House progressives, said New-

The

four weeks

of Advent

A Sentinel special observation Join us as we celebrate each theme of each week of

Share your reflections on the themes.

The fourth candle of Advent is the Candle of Love. It glows with the light of a love that will not let go. This love lights our homes, and it reaches out to our neighbors and the whole world.

Love is the heart of Christmas, the story of how God’s love comes in and fills the world. As we light this fourth candle, may we become light and bring love to those who need it.

Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas

In 1824 this poem–which virtually invented the story of Santa Claus’ visits to homes–made its first appearance. It is attributed to Clement Clark Moore.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of

the new-fallen snow, Gave a lustre of midday to objects below, When what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to

the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!” As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too— And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing

Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.

His eyes— how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the housetop the coursers they flew

Columbia River salmon and steelhead plan coming

Beginning January

1, all anglers age 15 and older must buy a Columbia River salmon and steelhead endorsement (CRSSE) to fish recreationally for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River and many of its Washington tributaries. The endorsement requirement applies to more than 50 rivers, lakes, and other waters, with a full list of affected waters available on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website.

Fish and Wildlife Officers may check anglers at these locations to confirm CRSSE compliance. Officers will be using discretion when appropriate and educating anglers about the newly implemented endorsement requirement.

“This reinstated endorsement mirrors the program anglers were familiar with before 2019,” said Kelly Cunningham, WDFW fish program director. “Revenue from the fee is dedicated exclusively to Columbia River salmon and steelhead fisheries by state law and cannot be diverted elsewhere.”

The original CRSSE was enacted by the Washington State Legislature in 2009 and was in effect through 2019. The Legislature reinstated the CRSSE in 2025, helping to offset funding reductions to Columbia River fisheries work amid the state’s budget shortfall. Fees collected from the endorsement will be placed

into the Columbia River recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program account. Expenditures from this account may only be used to facilitate recreational salmon and steelhead fishing opportunities on the Columbia River and its Washington tributaries. The total cost of the endorsement is $8.75 for resident and non-resident anglers 16 years old and older. The endorsement fee is $7.10 for 15-year-olds and resident seniors 70 years and older. Anglers can buy the CRSSE anywhere fishing licenses are sold – online, by phone, or at hundreds of license vendors statewide. Refer to the WDFW website to learn more about buying the CRSSE.

of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St.

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Trump favorite McKinney to run for Newhouse seat

Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney announced yesterday that she’s running as a Republican to represent central Washington’s 4th Congressional District. U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse said this week he would not run for reelection next year. The GOP congressman has held the seat since 2015.

“A proven conservative leader, McKinney is running as an America First Republican aligned with President Donald J. Trump,” her campaign said in an announcement. McKinney played up her support for Trump in an accompanying campaign launch video, which closes with an image of her standing next to the president.

Newhouse got crosswise with the MAGA movement over his 2021 vote to impeach Trump. Last year, Trump endorsed two Republican primary candidates challenging him: Jerrod Sessler, who has already

said he’s running again in 2026, and Tiffany Smiley, who lost in the primary last year. Newhouse defeated Sessler last November. McKinney is clearly now angling for the president’s backing in next year’s race.

G oldendale ’ s a ttic

This week’s Goldendale’s Attic Mystery Picture

Three kids. The one standing is holding the nose of the kid in the middle. The kid on the right seems to be getting a big kick out of it. What

was going on here? Boys being boys, we guess. Anyone have any idea whose these kids are? We don’t. All we know is this picture ran in The Senti-

nel sometime, lost in the annals of yesteryear. If you know anything about it, please send us an email (info@goldendalesentinel.com), or give us a call

(509-773-3777), or drop in at the office—and remember, you’re welcome to come in and take a look at the original photograph.

Points to ponder:

L ooking Back

December 24, 1915 – 110 Years Ago

The Goldendale Community Christmas Tree has been erected at the intersection of Main Street and Columbus Avenue. If weather permits, the committee desires people to assemble around the tree for Christmas Carols, in which everyone will join. An appropriate remembrance will be given to every child present. If weather does not permit, everyone should meet at the Presbyterian Church.

December 20, 1951 – 74 Years Ago

Rapidly nearing completion is the new Seventh-Day Adventist Church, located on the corner of First and Golden Streets. The structure, it is estimated, will cost nearly $35,000 and will be ready for occupancy in the spring of 1952. Wm. V. “Bill” Clements, pastor of the local church, has been constantly and ably assisted by members of the church from here and Yakima Valley. The structure is 50 x 28 feet with a full basement, and the outside walls are of reinforced concrete blocks. [The building later became the IOOF Lodge and most recently the Saints Joachin & Anna Orthodox Christian Mission.]

December 23, 1965 – 60 Years Ago

The staff of the Goldendale office of the National Bank of Commerce (all 15) wishes you happiness and prosperity in the new year. Staff: Bud Dashiell, Janet Crawford, Maryln Edwards, Daryl Spalding, Donna Ballard, Ruth Schofield, Ken McKee, Myrle Mesecher, Doris Riches, Jayne Butler, Virginia Taylor, Virgie Olen, Mildred Whyte, Carol Klebe, and Fred Hoctor.

December 14, 1995 – 30 Years Ago

The Goldendale FFA Chapter’s entry in the National Talent Competition, “County Jaguar” put Goldendale on the map in the competition in Kansas City earlier this year. After a 36-hour, 1,700-mile trip, the band was ready to rock Kansas City with some good Washington style country music. They played for lunches, dinners, and assemblies of 22,000 FFA members. In addition, they performed at the American Royal Livestock Show. The group performed nine times in the five days they were in Kansas City. Some of the highlights of the trip were meeting six-time world champion all-around cowboy Ty Murray, visiting with Miss America 1996 Shantel Smith, and attending a Toby Keith concert. Band members were Dusty and Jack James, Wayne McMillian and John Rolfe. They were accompanied by their faithful “roadies: Teresa James, Steve, Helen, and Billie Rolfe.

December 22, 2005 – 20 Years Ago

Santa visits Lyle. The fire truck Caravan with Santa pulled in right on schedule with 11 brightly decorated trucks to a crowd of “oohing” and “aahing” children and adults. Santa jumped down, and kiddies were able to sit on his lap and let him know their Christmas wishes as he presented each a bag of candy. The trucks came from Wishram, Dallesport, Lyle, High Prairie, Appleton, Bingen, White Salmon, and Husum. Lyle Community Council served hot cocoa, candy canes, and oranges.

— Richard Lefever Klickitat

County Historical Society

Answer to last week’s Mystery Picture

I used to be in a band called Missing Cat. You probably saw our posters.

I paid $75 for a correspondence course on mail fraud. It never arrived.

How many consultants does it take to change a light bulb? I’ll have an estimate for you on Monday.

NOT A HOLIDAY LIKE OTHERS

Significance of Christmas is Not Lost; Its Spirit Enters Into Life of World

The Goldendale Sentinel, December 7, 1922

It is not likely that all of the multitude of people who eagerly and anxiously prepare to celebrate Christmas day are conscious of its sacred character. They know of course that it stands for the anniversary of the birth of the inspiration for the Christian religion, but that thought is not uppermost in their minds. To such, for the moment, it is merely a holiday in which they wish to give gifts to persons they care for and whom they wish to please. It is a period in which they forget themselves in order to give joy to others. In this one thing, though they may not be aware of it, they demonstrate the teaching of the One whose day they observe,

for unselfish thought for others is one of the great lessons taught by the Teacher of teachers who was born in Bethlehem of Judea centuries ago. There are Christmas givers today who make no sacrifice when they purchase rich gifts for family or friends; they know no self-denial, though it does not follow that they do not give all their hearts. But with the great mass of givers there is a setting aside of personal wishes and even urgent needs in order that those they love may be glad on that day of the year when all the Christian world rejoices. The self-sacrifice is as nothing compared to the end to be attained.

On the other hand, a multitude of men and women are spiritually aware of the character of the day. They look back across the centuries to the Child in the manger and see in it the dawn of a new hope for mankind, a revelation of a new life, a bond between mortal existence and the hereafter that has given comfort to myriads and a light to the world that grows brighter with the passing of the ages. The gifts that they bestow and those they receive typify to them the greatest of all gifts to the world—the One who came to point the way to eternal life. No, Christmas for all its seeming frivolity and thoughtlessness is not a mere holiday like others. Even the light-minded and heedless ones realize a difference, and if pushed to explain would do so reverently. Under all the hurry and confusion and gaiety of the preparations and the celebration, the significance of Christmas is not lost. The meaning of the Great Event whose anniversary we observe cannot be escaped. Its spirit has entered into the life of the civilized world.

At this time of the year, we celebrate the festivity of Christmas, a joyful event to commemorate the birth of Jesus.

For others, it is “the holidays,” a secular but culturally significant time marked by family gatherings, the giving of gifts, the sharing of food, and, ideally, a time of reflection, stillness, and peace. For many, however (including many Christians), this is not the case. Instead of joy and peace, there is stress, mindless consumption, or deprivation, poverty, and violence. What is the deeper meaning of Christmas?

Although we don’t know when exactly Jesus was born, it appears that the date was chosen by the early Church in order to provide some continuity with already existing traditional festivities that predate Christianity by centuries or even millennia. These festivities took place around the time of the winter solstice, the darkest, coldest, and bleakest time of the year. In ancient Rome, the date roughly coincided with the festivity of “Sol Invictus” (invincible sun). It was a celebration of the reemergence of the sun out of the darkness. Further north, there was the festivity of Yule, an ancient Germanic and Norse midwinter celebration marking the rebirth of the sun. Gradually, these merged with and became transformed into what we now know as Christmas. Jesus, born on a dark, cold night in the comfortless surroundings of a stable, became the Christ, a personification of the light. “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).

However, this is not only the outer light of visual perception, but the inner light of the awakened consciousness. More often than not, this “en-lightenment” is born from within the darkness of human suffering and tribulation, which sometimes manifests as “the dark night of the soul.” The message of Christmas is the emergence of light out of the darkness. It is an important message for humanity, especially at this time of increasing collective suffering. Suffering is transcended when you awaken to your innermost identity as the light of consciousness, compared to which your personal identity has a somewhat dreamlike quality. That is why Jesus also said: “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

When you know yourself as the light of consciousness (which emanates from God as light emanates from the sun), you become a living embodiment of the meaning and message of Christmas: peace, joy, and loving kindness towards all humans and all life.

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)

Obits@goldendalesentinel.com (Obituaries)

Classifieds @goldendalesentinel.com (Classified ads and inquiries) Ads @goldendalesentinel.com (Display advertising information and inquiries)

Legals @goldendalesentinel.com (Legal and public notices)

Payables@goldendalesentinel.com

Receivables@goldendalesentinel.com Events @goldendalesentinel.com (Events and activities) Editorial: Lou Marzeles, Editor & Publisher Business and office staff: Owned by Tartan Publications, Inc.

Leslie Geatches, President, Financial management, Special Section production, Ad Design Naomi James, Bookkeeping

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.

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

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.”

“For No Reason At All” I particularly found offensive.

Guidelines for Letters

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. 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.

Ken Margraf Goldendale

Letters to the editor should be original and comment on an issue. Deadline for letters is noon Monday for the same week’s paper.

Requests to keep letters exactly as written when published cannot be honored. All letters are subject to editing for grammar, spelling, clarity, and/or brevity.

There is a suggested length limit of about 300 words.

Unsigned letters (including anonymity requests), letters with fictitious signatures, letters with multiple signatures, or letters to public officials are not accepted.

Please keep the tone of letters free of rants, wild speculation, unsubstantiated claims, or pointedly personal comments. Letters that go overboard in these directions will be refused publication.

Writers must include name, city/town of residence, and phone number for verification purposes. (Street address is not required, only city or town.)

Homecoming Court announced

Wow. How did December fly by so quickly. So many holiday parties and events have taken place, many members of our community are traveling out of town, and many are doing last minute shopping and planning for their Christmas deals. Please keep in mind, if you’re still looking for gifts, check at the Glenwood General Store and Glenwood Station. We recently enjoyed the Glenwood Rodeo Association Christmas party at the beautiful home of Dan and Kara Griffin and the Glenwood School Christmas dinner. At the school, the students and staff decorated the multipurpose room beautifully and all the classrooms, office, and kitchen doors were decorated for the door contest. Top winner this year was our wonderful cook, Catie Kielman. Best Christmas sweaters were also selected by the cheering of the audience. I’m sorry to say I don’t recall the top winner, but there were some pretty cool sweaters there

that day.

Although many students had already left for their holiday break, the elementary students remaining did a great job singing two songs to entertain the dinner guests. They were joined on “Country Roads” by 8th grader Della Fujita and college students Ally McFall and Jayla Avila. I think we need more of the bigger kids to get up there and sing that song with the little kids, because they all sang it at programs when they were in Mr. Demchuk’s class. It’s a great Glenwood School tradition we all enjoy.

The Homecoming Court was announced. Princesses for the upcoming homecoming celebration are Jocee Hoctor, Kerryna Thompson, Brooklyn Branson, and Dahlyla Rains. Princes are Hunter Walker, Sebastian Williams, Anthony Avila, and Wyatt Peterson. The Homecoming basketball game will be played later in the season. I will check the date and include it in future news.

The Homecoming court will be presented that night and a king and queen will be crowned.

Those whose residences were entered in the Christmas lights competition this year all did outstanding work to light up our community. There were 15 entries, although many other residences also were displaying great, colorful lights. The judging took place Sunday and Monday evenings, and this news had to be submitted before the results were in.

I’ll share the results next week. A huge thanks to all who participated in the competition, all those who gave their evening to serve as judges, and, most of all, to Jennifer Throop for starting this wonderful community tradition. It brings so much fun and holiday spirit to our little community.

The Glenwood Pioneer Memorial Community Church will hold a Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m. That’s Wednesday, December 24. All are welcome to attend. There will be no service on Christmas Day.

FFA Business Spotlight winners

The Goldendale FFA has announced the winners of its FFA Small Business Spotlight Competition, where local business owners selected their favorite student-created Instagram post designs. These members of Goldendale FFA will also see their designs transformed into yard signs displayed on the Goldendale High School CTE lawn before being presented to each business.

The winners are: Crush Smoothie – Alexis Payer D’Avanzo’s – Andin Vlaew Father Michael’s – Ellie Monson Goldendale Reindeer Farm – Jasper Olson GQ Equipment – Natalee Garcia Horseshoe and Sprout –Natalee Garcia KNY Crochet – Elysia Bakker

MeeksBeeksDesign –Elysia Bakker Rustic Creations – Gage Halm

Swallowtail Farm and Dairy – Elysia Bakker

Wild Daffodil – Bailey Crissup

Local businesses supported student talent and helped shine a spotlight on the next generation of designers. Dawn at Crossroads Coffee provided each winner with a gift card.

‘Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus’

One of the most famous editorials ever written, the following ran in The New York Sun on September 21, 1897: Dear Editor, I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon 115 West Ninety Fifth Street Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty

and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the

strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

FFA brings holiday spirit to seniors

GaGe Halm GmS FFa reporter

On December 18th, seven FFA members from Goldendale Middle School visited the Senior Center with their advisor, Mrs. Randi Krieg. Members brought games, prizes, and plenty of holiday spirit to celebrate.

FFA members hosted a candy cane cupfilling race, an unwrappingandrewrapping paper streamer showdown, and a “guess the holiday tune” game. “I enjoyed playing games with people. It made me feel good to include everyone in the fun,” shared Jorgia Wynhoff, GMS FFA member.

After the games, FFA members served lunch to the seniors. Julia Flansburg, GMS FFA member, commented, “I liked how we got to sit with the seniors and talk after we served them food.”

For pictures of the event and more information about FFA, visit the

This Calendar of Events listing is FREE! Email your event to events@goldendalesentinel.com or call 509-773-3777.

Are you in need of an eyecatching 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 roughly 22,000 unique hits on our website each month, this is a great way to reach even more people.

SEE PAGE B54 FOR

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

December 27, Free Gift-O: A gift exchange BINGO extravaganza at Trout Lake Hall: 6 p.m. REE!

Games start at 6pm

All Ages GIFT-O: A gift exchange BINGO extravaganza

Join us for a playful twist on gift-giving! Bring a wrapped present—something you didn’t quite love from the holidays, a handmade creation, or any fun surprise—to add to the prize pile. Win a round of BINGO and pick a gift! But beware—if someone else wins, they can steal your prize and you’ll get to choose another. It’s part BINGO, part White Elephant, and all fun!

6pm-7pm Round 1:

Regular Happenings

• Free Community Kitchen

To-Go Meals: the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month and every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 5 or 5:30 until the food runs out. Methodist Church on the corner of Columbus and Broadway.

• Alcoholics Anonymous, Goldendale United Methodist Church, 7-8 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday

• To Your Health, Plant based Food Matters seminars on the physiology of nutrition, Join us the 1st monday of the month from 5:30 - 87 p.m. for a potluck dinner, sharing recipes and ideas, as well as a chance to learn. The Better Livin Center, 59 Bicleton Rd 509-250-1354 Faye.

• Dr. Ogden’s Street Jam every Monday at 7 p.m. in front of the Goldendale Senior Center

• Lyle Lions Meeting 6 p.m. the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Lyle Lions Community Center.

• Popup Café – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Lunch and support group at the Masonic Lodge on Columbus. Café is open weekly on Monday and Wednesday.

• The Coalition for Preventing Abuse in Klickitat County (CPAKC) 3:30 p.m. every 2nd Monday at the Goldendale Library. 509-773-3776 or CPAKC on Facebook.

• Goldendale City Council meetings 6 p.m. 1103 S Columbus 1st and 3rd Monday of every month (Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) https://www. ci.goldendale.wa.us/

• Adult Book Discussion Group meets every third Mon-

Community Events

Regular straight line bingo 3-4 games 5-10 minute intermission 7-8pm Round 2:

Letter shaped games: T, L, H

Final blackout game for grand prize

December 25, Dad’s Sourdough Christmas Dinner: 10 a.m - 4 p.m. 210 South Columbus Ave in the old Mason’s Hall. Dad’s Sourdough Bakery is spreading holiday kindness once again with their free Christmas dinner, open to anyone in the community. It’s a warm, welcoming tradition that brings neighbors together to share a delicious meal and the true spirit of the season.

December 31, The Get Tight/The Vinyl Chef at Trout Lake Hall: 8:30 doors, 9 p.m. show. All Ages BARN BURNER shows are all about the dancing! No matter who might be on the stage, you are guaranteed to groove. THE GET TIGHT

The Get Tight is a soul-inspired, funk instrumental band featuring Xan McCurdy (CAKE, The Loved Ones), keyboardist Garth Klippert (Old Lights, Fruit Bats), drummer Adams Beam (Megan Diana, Independent),

day 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. goldendaleschools.org/ about/school-board

• Goldendale School Board Meeting: 4th Monday of the month at the High School Cafeteria.

Tuesday

• White Salmon-Bingen Rotary Meeting every Tuesday at 301 Dewalt Dr, White Salmon.

• Adult Fiber Art Social Circle: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. at the Goldendale Community Library

• EPIC Youth Center Games: 3 - 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday. All students (1st grade and up) welcome to come meet new friends and play a variety of games. A release of liabilities and a parent agreement of conduct must be on file. Youth under 8 must be checked in by a parent. Visit epicyouthcenter.org for forms.

• Wellness Warriors 3 – 4 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the Goldendale Library Join us as our local health department nurses teach us about different wellness topics to keep ourselves safe an healthy. Topics include: Hand Hygiene, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Emotional Health, & Safety/ Injury Prevention. All ages are welcome, topics will be covered at an elementary school level.

• Board of County Commissioners meeting every Tuesday Klickitat County Courthouse,

and bassist Allen Hunter (Eels, Ural Thomas & the Pain). THE VINYL CHEF

You may know him as Get Hu’sum Pizza or Stan Pratnicki

205 S Columbus Goldendale. Visit 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. at he American Legion on Broadway. Questions? Sally/ojala@gmail. com.

• KC Fair Board Meetings 1st Tuesday of the month is a Workshop, 3rd Tuesday of the month is a Board Meeting.

• Soroptimist International of Goldendale, 5:30 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Dedicated to helping women and youth in our community and worldwide. All welcome. Contact Betty 509250-3746.

• BINGO night: 3 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the High Prairie Community Center on Struck Rd. Meals and cards for purchase (discounted kids’ meals) Come meet your neighbours and enjoy some family fun!

Wednesday

• PARENTS of Murdered Children group meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the American Legion at 6 p.m.

• GAMES! Pinochle, cards, dominoes, and more every Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Goldendale Senior Center on East Main. All are welcome!

• Healing Song Circle: 6:30 –7:30 p.m. every 4th Wednesday of the month, Missing Corner in BZ Corner. By donation $1020, no one turned away. RSVP at laurarosedoctor@gmail.com, 509-637-9425.

• Family Storytime: 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. at the Goldendale

but tonight you will know him as The Vinyl Chef making the dance floor groove! The Vinyl Chef will be spinning 45s of classics that get us groovin. Come

get your boogie on!

December 31, Noon Years Eve Party: 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Goldendale Comminity Library. 11 a.m. at the White Salmon Valley Community Library. Join us for a family friendly party with a countdown to NOON! Crafts, music, dancing and more. Refreshments provided by Friends of Goldendale Community Library.

January 1, New Years Day Polar Plunge: Check in at 9: 30 a.m, plunge at 10 sharp. Dont be late! $15 donation Register at https:// centralklickitatparksandrecreation.com/communityevents/polar-bear-plunge/

January 19, Stitch a Block : 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at 3c’s Fabric. I will have a block pattern ready for you. Come into the shop and pick up the pattern for the quilt block,,,, the 3rd Monday bring in your fabric . machine. smile and we will sew-sew-sew.

January 11, The Beatles Mystical Experience - Live Beatles Music - MovementSoundbath: 6:30 p.m. 177 W Jewett Blvd, White Salmon. Join us for a celebration of the Beatles music and the mindfulness they shared with the world after their time in India.

The Rock of Conscious-

Community Library.

• Learn and Play! – 2 – 3 p.m. every 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Goldendale Primary School. Fun and learning for you and your little ones up to 5 years!

• Snowden Community 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.

• 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

• Dog Obedience and Agility Classes Fundraiser for the 4H Dog Project. Every Thursday at .6 p.m. all summer at Father’s House Fellowship Hall. Proof of vaccinations required Kids and Adults welcome Puppies need 1st series of shots completed 509 -250-1623 for more info

• EPIC Youth Center Games: 6:30 - 8 p.m. every Thursday. 5th grade and older welcome though a release of liabilities and parent agreement of conduct must be on file. Visit epicyouthcenter.org for forms.

• Rosary every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church 307 Schuster in Goldendale.

• Drinking Democratically 6 - 7:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month. Food and drink

available for purchase. Call Carol for location 971-404-1935

• Learn and Play! 10:30 –11:30 a.m. at the White Salmon Library. Stories, songs, puppets, crafts and more for young children (birth through 5 yrs) and their parents or caregivers presented by White Salmon Valley Community Library Staff. Free book for each participant provided by the FVRL Foundation.

• Goldendale Grange #49 Meeting – 4th Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at 228 E Darland in Goldendale

• Bingo at the Goldendale American Legion Thursdayscard packets go on sale 6:30 p.m. game starts 7 p.m. Food available

• Bingo - High Prairie Community Center, 2nd Thursday of every month, doors open at 6, starts at 6:30. Questions contact Lori Sweeney 503-260-7129

• WAGAP Mobile Food Bank – 1st Thursday of the month: 9-10:30 a.m. Wishram school, 10:45 - 11:30 Wishram Heights Housing, 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 509-493-2662 ext 208 for more information.

• Narcotics Anonymous, 7 - 8 p.m. weekly at United Methodist Church, 109 E Broadway Goldendale.

Friday

• Open sewing, knitting, or whatever you do every Friday from 1 - 4 p.m. at Wild Daffodil and 3C’s Fabric in their new location $10.

ness Beatles Mystical Experience is a tribute to the legendary music the Beatles created while in India in 1968. Songs like Blackbird, Revolution, Dear Prudence and other classics are set to energizing movement,breathwork and stillness to open up to a deeper state of awareness. This opened state is then carried into a Dreamstate Soundbath for deep relaxation and reset.

A total of 18 songs ended up on the White Album from their time in India. The Beatles’ music has uplifted the planet and is known in all corners of the globe introducing many to Indian spirituality, mantra and mindfulness to rock the consciousness.

No experience needed. All body types and belief systems welcome. Bring a yoga mat, blanket and eye cover for maximum comfort. Learn more at https:// soundshala.com/rock-of-consciousness

January 9, Tiny Art Show: 3:30 p.m. 77 E Wauna Ave, White Salmon. What’s more fun than creating art? Creating TINY ART!

Kids of all ages are invited to create their tiny masterpiece, which will be on display at the library. All materials provided.

• Lyle Community Game Day 1 p.m. the third Friday of every month at the Lyle Lions Community Center.

• 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

• Knitting and Stitching Circle 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. White Salmon Community Library Saturday

• Goldendale Farmers Market May thru October at the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce on Broadway every Saturday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

• High Prairie Farmers Market 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. the first and third Saturday of the month. Vendors please call Bea 509637-0584

• Hope Neighborhood 4:306:00 p.m. 115 E Main Street, Goldendale at the Goldendale Senior Center. A time of fellowship, bible reading, and discussion for those seeking to learn and grow in God’s word.

• Lyle Lions Pancake Breakfast 1st Saturday of every month 7 a.m. -10 a.m. Omelettes 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 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Senior Center 3rd Saturday of every month, 115 E. Main St. Goldendale

• Family Storytimes 10:30 –11:30 a.m. 1st Saturday of the month @ the Goldendale Library Sunday

• Trout Lake Farmers Market: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Grange Hall.

February 26, 1946 –December 16, 2025

Jerome Mohar (Jerry, “Mo”) passed from this world into the next, at his home on December 16, 2025.

Jerry fought an extended battle with Lewy Body Dementia with a quiet bravery and strength to the end.

Jerry was born on February 26, 1946, to Jerry Sr. and Florence Mohar in Cleveland, Ohio. He remembered his childhood as almost idyllic. As an only child, Jerry was surrounded by his father, his grandfather, and his father’s friends. He was known as “the kid,” with his own honorary bowling shirt. Jerry learned to ride a bike in his grandfather’s pool hall, ran errands for the guys (which involved getting a treat for himself), bowling when he got the chance, and playing an accordion at neighborhood dances. His dad’s friend gifted him with what is now the family pool table. He and his dad spent countless hours in their basement playing pool.

His parents lived on a modest income, but by the time Jerry was 16 he had his own car and his own boat. On weekends, he and his father took the boat to Pelee Island. Fishing, swimming, and falling asleep to the rocking of the boat filled his days and nights.

When he graduated from high school, Jerry went to Ohio State, majoring in science. While there, he earned a bachelor’s degree and subsequently earned a master’s degree. In college, Jerry taught ice skating to earn money for books and played

pool to earn money for beer. After graduating, he taught at Bratenahl High School in Cleveland, but the lure of the northwest prevailed and after a few years, he moved his family to Hood River, Oregon, where he spent the rest of his career teaching science at Lyle High School in Washington. His students called him “Mo.” He coached baseball and had a belief that you could never tell how a kid was going to do. They surprised you, in sports, in life. They were just developing, and you could never write the script. A student who had been jumped out of a gang left him a note saying he would always have his back. Another student wrote to him saying he had taught him more than science; he had taught him about life and the universe.

An ex- student, working in the IT Dept at the University of Washington, passed through Lyle. He offered Jerry a room at his house and a summer job at the University of Washington. It was a dream summer, staying up late talking “tech,” grabbing a bite at the coffee shop, and arriving on campus about 10.

Jerry was curious about wildflowers, in love with orchids, and passionate about handball. In the spring it was not uncommon to see him getting up at 4:30 a.m. identifying wildflowers before school, teaching, and then hitting the handball courts at night. On the court he wore unmatched socks, yelled and pounded the wall at a missed shot, and ana-

lyzed each game upstairs over a beer.

Jerry has three children: Jason who lives in Olympia, Washington, and works in the State Department; Celeste who has an alternative medical clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona; and Kendra, who is an RRT in Hood River, Oregon. He has four grandchildren, each of whom has a special place in his heart. Logan graduated with his pilot’s license; Ethan, is pursuing his helicopter pilot’s license; and Jazmene and Brycen are each in high school.

Jerry met his wife, Judie, while they were both out running late at night. They were married for 43 years, and it was the adventure of a lifetime. Loving and living and learning each day. Jerry’s quiet presence, keen wit, sarcasm, and intuitive sense of people, deepened their lives and quickened the space around them. Sitting quietly beside each other, holding hands, reading a book, watching a movie, were as enriching as traveling to the places and countries they visited. He was cherished by his family, loved by his friends.

A special man. He will always be remembered and carried in people’s hearts.

Services are planned for 2 p.m., Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Riverside Community Church (317 State St, Hood River, Oregon). Graveside Committal will follow at Idlewilde Cemetery of Hood River.

Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com.

Jim White For The SenTinel

Happy New Year!

Welcome to January. Our first month features Jupiter’s closest approach for the year, and plenty of bright stars to view. Nights will be cold and mostly cloudy, but step outside when skies clear for a stunning view, even if it is a short one!

Some things coming in 2026: we’ll have two total Lunar eclipses during the year. One will come on March 3, and a second will follow on August 27. We will just miss a solar eclipse that will occur on August 12, visible in Iceland, Greenland, and Spain. Northern Canada will see a partial eclipse. Solar activity in 2026 should still be high (the Sun has a roughly 11-year cycle of activity, and we are just past the peak), so there is a chance to see more northern lights. NOAA has a nice prediction website that gives short-term predictions, located at www.swpc.noaa. gov/products/aurora-viewline-tonight-and-tomorrownight-experimental.

The Solar system’s giant, Jupiter, makes its closest approach to us on January 10. Jupiter will be “only” about 393 million miles from us. At freeway speed, 70 mph, it would take about 640 years to drive that far. The solar system is huge! Jupiter will be located in the constellation Gemini during December.

Take out a pair of binoculars and point them at Jupiter. You should be able to see the planet’s 4 largest moons, Europa, Calliston, Io and Ganymede, “lined up” in a strait line, along the planet’s equator. If you look on another night, you’ll see that the moons have changed position as they orbit Jupiter. Check out the website https://shallowsky.

com/galilean/ to see which moon is which. You can enter a date and time, and see the four moons, along with Jupiter. Change the date and time, and you’ll see that they shift positions as they orbit the planet. When Galileo observed this in 1610, with the newly invented telescope, it was a historic discovery. Saturn is still in the evening sky in January. The solar system’s other giant will be located in the southwestern sky, in the dim constellations Aquarius and Pisces, below the “square” of Pegasus.

be easy to pick out.

January’s full Moon will occur on the 3rd, when the Moon lies just to the left of Jupiter. The waning gibbous Moon will lie below the constellation Leo on the 6th, and will lie just to the right of the bright star Spica

planners, and some are especially good at fixing things when they go a little sideways. Every elf matters.

The Sentinel: And Mrs. Claus—what is her role in all of this?

Santa Claus: Mrs. Claus is the heart of the North Pole. She makes sure everyone is fed, rested, and remembered. She also reminds me—gently but firmly—that Christmas is about care, not hurry.

The Sentinel: Do the reindeer get nervous before Christmas Eve?

Santa Claus: A little excited, mostly. They know the route by heart, but they still like a good pep talk. And yes—there are extra carrots involved.

The Sentinel: Do you have a favorite reindeer?

to achieve cost recovery for staff time and consultant expenses associated with permit reviews, long-term monitoring of conditional uses, and processing complex, large-scale projects.

In his status report, he proposed a two-pronged approach to amending the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance. He suggested first making a simple change to the conditional use requirement to provide immediate cost and time savings for applicants, followed by a more thorough review of other criteria in a separate, later process. To that end, the department was planning an ADU workshop.

He also said a solar ordinance was ready to be sent to the Prosecuting Attorney’s office for review.

There was good news in the afternoon session as representatives from the White Salmon Valley Pool District presented an update on their project. They had successfully secured over $2.7 million in state grants, raised over $150,000 in a community match campaign, and a total of more than $7 million in projected funding. In addition the project had 100% complete construction documents and state health permit approval. The project was described

Santa Claus: I love them all for different reasons. Some are fast, some are steady, and some are very good at cheering the others on when the night feels long.

The Sentinel: What can children do to help you, Santa?

Santa Claus: Be helpful when no one is watching. Share when it’s hard. Say thank you. And remember—Christmas lasts longer when you carry it into the new year.

The Sentinel: What do you wish adults remember about Christmas?

Santa Claus: That children notice everything. They remember how Christmas feels far longer than what was wrapped in paper.

The Sentinel: What’s your favorite Christmas cookie?

as “shovel ready,” pending final county permits. Commissioners also approved an 18-item consent agenda menu, including

• An interlocal agreement with Pend Oreille County to help support the OnBase document imaging system in the Clerk’s office.

• Request to carry over vacation hours to 2026 for Jeff King.

• Request to carry over vacation hours to 2026 for Filiberto Ontiveros.

• Reviewing 2025 equipment rental rates for the Equipment Rental and Revolving Fund #504.

• Agreement with Advanced Security and Electrical Technology, Inc. to provide monitoring, cloud, smart services and communications services to the county.

• Notice to contractors to advertise for the Bundle #2 – Preventative Maintenance – Bearing Repairs Project, CRP 378.

• Advertising to fill a vacant senior traffic engineering technician position in the Public Works Department’s Goldendale location.

• Request to carry over vacation hours to 2026 for Scott Edelman.

Santa Claus: The one made with love. Though I do have a soft spot for chocolate chip—and I never say no to milk.

The Sentinel: And finally, Santa, what is your favorite part of Christmas?

Santa Claus: Seeing families together. Laughing, reading, remembering. That’s the real magic—and it’s something everyone can help create.

The Sentinel: Thank you, Santa. Safe travels tonight. Santa Claus: Thank you. And to all the children and families reading—may your home be warm, your hearts be light, and your Christmas be filled with peace. Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.

house showed courage in voting to impeach Trump. She said she “greatly appreciated his leadership to provide a roadmap to citizenship for farmworkers” and his assistance in getting Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPOP, national recognition.

“He will be missed in Congress, and I wish him and his family the best in retirement,” she said. Trump-aligned challengers

In 2021, Newhouse became a target of the MAGA movement when he joined nine other House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He is one of two among that group who is still serving in Congress.

“weak and pathetic” Republican “who voted to, for no reason, Impeach me.”

Newhouse overcame the attacks and narrowly won reelection. His victory was likely owed to support from Democratic voters.

house’s announcement and look forward to sharing news with you all in the coming days,” she said in a statement. Monday McKinney—another Trump favorite—announced she is running for the seat.

Republican Wesley Meier, of Richland, has registered his campaign with the Federal Election Commission. At least one Democrat is mounting a bid for the 4th District seat next year: John Duresky, a retired Air Force officer who also worked at the Hanford nuclear cleanup site.

• Memorandum of understanding with the Port of Klickitat.

• A grant to the City of White Salmon to enhance economic development opportunities.

• Memorandum of understanding with the City of White Salmon.

• Amendment No. 2 to agreement no. TCPIPG2325-KICoED-00061 with the State of Washington Department of Ecology for the Klickitat Mill Site.

• The annual renewal of evidence software subscription with FileOnQ for the Sheriff’s office.

• Adjusting wages for regular employees, contract employees and elected officials.

• An appointment to the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority.

• An appointment to the Veterans Advisory Board.

• Joint Resolution of the Clark County Council and the Boards of County Commissioners for Klickitat and Skamania counties, appointing trustees to the Fort Vancouver Regional Library.

• Bid award for Wood Gulch Bridge preventative maintenance, CRP 388.

• A grant to the Port of Klickitat to enhance economic development opportunities.

Since then, Trump has fought to get him out of office. Newhouse fended off six Republican challengers in the 2022 primary en route to winning a fifth term in the solidly Republican district. That same year, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, another Washington Republican who voted for impeachment, was unseated after losing in the primary to Joe Kent.

Things got tougher for Newhouse in 2024. He faced two Trump-backed opponents in the primary and squared off with one of them, Jerrod Sessler, in the general election. Trump, in a social media post backing Sessler, called Newhouse a

In 2026, he was facing a rematch with Sessler, and potentially Tiffany Smiley, the other GOP candidate in 2024. Smiley, who lost a run against Patty Murray for her U.S. Senate seat in 2022, is known for her work as a veterans advocate. Potential for a packed primary Sessler, of Prosser, a Navy veteran and businessman, confirmed Wednesday he is running next year and said he again enjoys the support of President Trump, along with members of the House Freedom Caucus. The state Republican Party endorsed him in 2024 as well.

Newhouse’s early notice that he’s not running sets the stage for a wide-open primary next August.

Republican state Sen. Matt Boehnke of Kennewick said Wednesday he’s seriously exploring a run. Boehnke is in his first term in the Senate after serving four years in the House and three years on the Kennewick City Council. He is up for reelection in 2026.

Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney, a Republican, is eyeing the seat. “I’m humbled by the encouragement I’ve received since Rep. New-

Washington’s 4th Congressional District stretches through the middle of the state from the Canadian border to Oregon. It includes the agricultureheavy Yakima Valley, the Yakama Indian Reservation, and the Tri-Cities.

The last Democrat to win a U.S. House seat in the district was former Gov. Jay Inslee. He won in 1992, but lost reelection after one term to Doc Hastings, a Republican, who held the seat until retiring in 2015. Newhouse doesn’t have a favorite yet for his successor.

“I haven’t made any decisions about who I may or may not be supporting in the race,” he told reporters. “Let’s see who expresses interest, who gets in the race, and we’ll just play it from there.”

Fire victims rebuild efforts stalled

RodgeR Nichols For The SenTinel Plans to modify the Management Plan for the National Scenic Area to make it easier for victims of the Rowena and Burdoin fires to rebuild stalled for the second month in a row at the Gorge Commission.   Though having two 30-day periods to comment before the December 16 meeting, two of the four Treaty Tribes the Commission is obligated to consult said they had not had enough time to respond.

Despite a four-hour session devoted solely to the proposed changes, and despite a strong push by Wasco, Klickitat, and Skamania County representatives, a written appeal from Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and personal appearances by county commissioners from three counties, the majority of the 13 commissioners were not prepared to act.

Opinions on the subject ran the spectrum from that of Gorge Commissioner Nathan Reynolds, who worked a number of years from the Cowlitz Tribe, to that of Skamania County Commissioner, Asa Leckie, enrolled member of the Sioux tribe.

Reynolds was firm in his stance, asserting that “Consultation with the Tribes isn’t over until the Tribes say it’s over.”

And Leckie, equally as firm. “We must not let

past injustices hit or hinder urgent aid for those suffering today regardless of background,” he said. “Invoking tribal status in ways that appear to delay critical recovery risk, portraying such actions as tactics for unclear reasons, undermines the mutual respect we all seek.”

In the end, there was a unanimous vote to postpone the issue until the next meeting.

The postponement does not kill the amendment. A motion in favor of the changes is still open and awaiting a vote, while the hearing and public comment period are extended through the Commission’s January 13 meeting. Gorge Commissioners representing fire-struck counties are hoping for an outpouring of public comment between now and then in support of the humanitarian changes.

E xtra

Navigating grief during the holidays

Melissa Uhles For The SenTinel

For those who have lost a loved one, forcing merriment during the holidays may be impossible to muster. And that’s okay. The grief or pain that accompanies a death or loss can take many forms and doesn’t always follow a certain timetable.

Writer Anne Lamott described grief by saying, “You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with

the limp.” After the death of a loved one, somehow the sun still rises, and December still arrives, regardless of one’s readiness for it. With that in mind, The National Council on Aging shared some coping mechanisms to help people manage grief in this season. They prescribe expressing feelings. For example, they note it’s okay to cry, even if it happens at a holiday party. They also suggest being flexible with plans. Traditions may have to change; that’s to be expected. A bereaved person may need to drop by for a short amount of time instead of staying all day as they have in the past, for example. If a person normally cooks a huge, elaborate meal and hosts, it might be time to make it a potluck instead. The grieving person may also wish to opt out of the holiday festivities alto-

gether this year.

Self-care is important during this time. Indulging in a nature walk with a friend or alone before a holiday gathering may be helpful for some. Since everyone experiences grief differently, what will be soothing will vary depending on the person’s preferences.

Therapists advise that there are many ways to process feelings that come from grief. Certain people may find talking to a counselor or clergy member helpful, and others may prefer to be alone, perhaps journaling or reading books about the grief process. Talking with a spouse or trusted friend might help calm the nervous system as well. Grief groups with others who understand the emotions that accompany loss may provide value as well. Experimentation during this time is essential.

For example, writing a letter or speaking to the lost loved one may provide comfort. Meditation or prayer could also bring some solace.

Grief can also manifest physically, according to reporting by the Mayo Clinic. A bereaved person may get tired more easily, have trouble eating and sleeping, get headaches or other illnesses, and may have trouble concentrating.

All that said, for those blessed not to be in deep grief this season, remember there are lots of people suffering from a broken heart out there, and they may be hiding it to get through the days. Kindness and respecting boundaries may be greatly appreciated by the person in mourning.

For friends and family members who know someone who has recently suffered a loss, helping them

State assesses damage from record flooding

Just days ago, where Brandon Huber was standing near the confluence of the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers, floodwaters rose to his thighs.

The Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue water rescue technician was here near Monroe, saving people, as closed roads became ponds. Down the road, a Dodge Grand Caravan was still partially submerged Saturday morning. The agency rescued over three dozen people in total, said Battalion Chief Jamal Beckham. Statewide, at least 250 have been rescued.

On a recent Saturday morning, local, state, and federal elected officials, including Gov. Bob Ferguson, U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and U.S. Reps. Suzan DelBene and Kim Schrier, surveyed the aftermath.

The flooding, while still historic, mercifully didn’t quite reach the extreme levels initially predicted. No deaths or significant injuries have been reported, Ferguson said.

kevin hardy

WaShingTon STaTe STandard

As pennies vanish from the American landscape, many businesses are clamoring for federal guidance on how to handle cash transactions in a penniless world.

The U.S. Mint struck the last penny on November 12. Should retailers round up or down? Should they round in favor of the customer? Or in favor of the business?

So far, calls for federal direction have gone unanswered. Some businesses are setting their own policies, but states are now beginning to act amid growing uncertainty.

While the question revolves around only a few cents per transaction, it does raise important consumer protection and legal questions for states to consider. Retailers must weigh threats of potential lawsuits, while policymakers worry about protecting the most vulnerable consumers who rely on cash for everyday purchases.

President Donald Trump in February moved to eliminate the penny from U.S. pocketbooks, citing the high cost of minting them— about 3.7 cents per penny. But even before the coin’s final production run last month, U.S. retailers and banks were reporting widespread penny shortages.

To provide clarity, lawmakers in New York have proposed legislation mirroring Canada’s rounding standard—up or down to the nearest five cents.

“This event came very close to being much more catastrophic, very close, and this reality should serve as a warning and opportunity to strengthen our preparedness and resilience for the next event,” Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue Chief Brian Park told the elected leaders at Station 31 in Monroe.

Snohomish County officials had called in state water rescue teams to help, but sent them up north to Skagit and Whatcom counties because of how well local fire departments were managing along the U.S. 2 corridor.

Many of the nearby farmers chose to stay, building dikes around their livestock, Huber explained.

“They’ve seen it this level, I think maybe not themselves, but their grandpa probably worked through that one,” he said.

Many animals, though, ended up at the nearby Evergreen Fairgrounds. At its height, the equestrian park there housed 171 horses, 140 chickens, 104 cattle, 94 goats, three rabbits and two turkeys, said Mike Ohlsen, the fair manager.

Water was still reced -

And officials in Georgia and Utah have issued nonbinding guidance to businesses.

“States do not have the luxury of waiting for the federal government,” said Katherine Tschopp, senior associate at government relations firm MultiState.

Complicating the issue are the growing number of jurisdictions requiring businesses to accept cash— a move aimed at protecting vulnerable consumers who may not have access to credit cards or electronic payment systems.

In November, New York became the ninth state to add such a rule, according to tracking from MultiState. At least eight major cities also require businesses to accept cash.

A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers have proposed legislation in the U.S. House and Senate to require all cash transactions be rounded to the nearest five cents, but neither proposal has made it to a floor vote.

The record-breaking federal government shutdown and heated debate on health insurance subsidies have sidelined the penny discussion, Tschopp said. She thinks the federal government will likely determine a national rounding policy—eventually. But in the meantime, she expects more states to weigh in.

New York Democratic Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said he agreed with Trump’s move to phase out the costly production of the penny. But businesses are asking for some kind of guidance now, he said.

ing Saturday after record flooding hit Snohomish and Skagit counties. A sunny Saturday serves as respite before the rain returns on Sunday.

Reid Wolcott, the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Seattle, said 4 to 7 inches of rain could be in store for parts of the Cascades, which could fuel more river flooding. Strong winds, with gusts up to 45 to 50 mph, could also sweep into the region over the next day or two, he said, posing a risk of toppled trees and power lines.

“We’re not out of the woods,” Wolcott said. “We’re halfway through.”

By mid-week, temperatures are forecast to fall, and snow levels will drop to lower elevations, reducing the amount of water flowing into rivers.

After touring around Monroe, Ferguson and others headed up to Mount Vernon, where officials were relieved the waters didn’t breach a floodwall protecting the city’s downtown.

Thousands of people remain under evacuation orders, mostly in Skagit County. State officials said

“In the absence of federal action, I think it’s important that the states act to provide clarity—clarity for everybody: clarity for the consumer, as well as the merchant and the state,” McDonald told Stateline.

Approaches to rounding

McDonald’s proposed legislation mirrors Canada’s rounding policy following the 2012 elimination of its one-cent coin. His bill calls for so-called symmetrical rounding of aftertax cash purchases to the nearest five-cent mark. Purchases ending with one, two, six or seven cents would be rounded down. And purchases ending in three, four, eight, or nine cents would be rounded up.

So, a consumer would get no cash back from a $1.99 purchase. But a retailer would hand over a nickel to someone spending $1.97.

McDonald sits on the National Conference of State Legislature’s State and Local Taxation Task Force that has been examining the penny issue. That task force has recommended symmetrical rounding as the fairest method.

McDonald noted that the NCSL group reached a bipartisan consensus on the issue. And he said he’s found no opposition from New York businesses or consumer groups on his bill.

“In this day and age where we seem to have a lot of fractious conversations on other issues, it’d be nice to find something that actually we can all agree on,” he said. “And to have it start with the good old lit-

plan a way to meaningfully include or remember their loved one might help. Some ideas could include making their favorite Christmas cookies, playing their favorite songs, wrapping a gift for them, lighting a candle, or sharing a favorite memory. For those who find reading to be a validating experience, these are some highly rated books on the topic of grief:

It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand by Megan Devine, LPC.

Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser. The Grief Recovery Handbook, 20th Anniversary Expanded Edition: The Action Program for Moving Beyond Death, Divorce, and Other Losses: A Comprehen-

rodGer nichols For The SenTinel

Friday it could be days or weeks before evacuees can return to their homes. A long stretch of U.S. 2 between Skykomish and Leavenworth remains closed.

Some relief from the federal government has arrived in Washington, said Ferguson.

President Donald Trump signed an emergency declaration to give the state federal aid to respond to the flooding. Federal personnel are working with local authorities on rescuing stranded people, clearing debris from roads and other emergent needs, the governor said.

Assessing the damage to get further federal aid for the recovery will come later. Unlocking that additional support, including assistance for individuals, will require the feds to approve a disaster declaration.

“We’re looking at millions of dollars of infrastructure damage,” said Snohomish County Emergency Management Director Lucia Schmit. “These are small towns, small cities, diking districts that don’t have the funding. This is a catastrophic financial burden for them.”

tle penny would be a good spot.”

On Wednesday, South Dakota Republican state Sen. Tim Reed urged state lawmakers to start communicating with agencies, retailers and the public over the issue.

A co-chair of the NCSL task force, he said businesses need guidance and consumers may need reassurance. While he acknowledged concerns about “strategic pricing”—in which retailers set prices to push rounding to their advantage—the group’s report characterized that as a “limited risk.”

“Everybody’s thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll get overcharged, or I’ll get undercharged,’” Reed said at an NCSL virtual event about the penny. He said it would be good for people to know that “really this is all going to kind of wash out in the end.”

New York Democratic state Sen. James Sanders Jr. said the cash acceptance law he sponsored earlier this year ensures people without access to smartphones or banking are not excluded from commerce. That law also says customers paying with cash cannot be charged more than other buyers.

“Otherwise, you absolutely have a two-tiered system,” he said, noting that cash is “a

for working

older adults, immigrants and small

nesses. Sanders

tect consumers.

he

sive ... Restore Faith, Happiness, and Career Success by John W. James and Russell Friedman.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. The following are some local resources: Klickitat County has a crisis line that can be called 24 hours a day at 1-800-626-8137. Trish Schindel runs the Klickitat County Chapter of Parents of Murdered Children (POMC) and they meet at 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month at the American Legion. Yakima Bible Church has a Grief Share Group beginning in January. Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group meets at Columbia Gorge Community College, Hood River Campus, on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.. Contact: (541) 806-2790.

It is disconcerting, with Christmas here, to realize that it’s been more than six months since the Rowena Fire began on June 11, followed by the Burdoin Fire a week later on the 18th. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $350,000 in donations have poured in to help the victims, and not one cent of that has yet been distributed.

For answers on why that might be so, we contacted Caroline Grew, head of United Way of the Gorge. She, in turn, directed the inquiry to Andrew Danies, Deputy Director for Economic Development for Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, who provided a FAQ on the subject.

He said there hadn’t been a final accounting from multiple fundraiser and donation streams, but the total was “in the general range” of $350,000, with the majority of that held by United Way of the Gorge.

“All donated funds raised from community members are intended solely for fireimpacted residents,” he wrote. “None of these donations will go to MCEDD, MCCAC, or any other agency for administrative or operating costs. The full amount of donated funds is reserved for survivor assistance.”

That was the ethic adopted by the Rowena LTRG or Long-Term Recovery Group, which he described as “a locally led, community-based effort formed

in response to the Rowena Fire to coordinate longterm recovery for impacted residents.” And the delay?

“That timing is not unusual in disaster recovery,” he wrote. “The Rowena LTRG will begin convening Unmet Needs Roundtable meetings starting next week [December 22], which is the forum where verified survivor needs are reviewed and assistance decisions are made. Before funds are released, survivors must be connected with disaster case management, needs must be verified, and clear distribution criteria must be applied. This process helps ensure assistance goes to those with the highest unmet needs and avoids duplication with insurance or other aid sources.”

All of that is not to say that victims have received no assistance. Mid-Columbia Community Action Council recently said they’d been able to find rental housing for 25 victim families, and other humanitarian agencies have been helping with food, clothing and basic necessities.

In order to apply for some of those funds, Danies wrote,” Survivors can access assistance by engaging with recovery coordination via MCCAC, which is working with the Rowena LTRG. Recovery coordinators help households document losses, assess unmet needs, and bring requests forward to the Unmet Needs Roundtable for review.”

61.24.130. Failure to bring such a lawsuit may result in a waiver of any proper grounds for invalidating the Trustee’s sale.

• NOTICE TO OCCUPANTS OR TENANTS – The purchaser at the Trustee’s Sale is entitled to possession of the property on the 20th day following the sale, as against the Grantor under the deed of trust (the owner) and anyone having an interest junior to the deed of trust, including occupants and tenants. After the 20th day following the sale the purchaser has the right to evict occupants and tenants by summary proceedings under the Unlawful Detainer Act, Chapter 59.12 RCW. For tenant-occupied property, the purchaser shall provide a tenant with written notice in accordance with RCW 61.24.060.

THIS NOTICE IS THE FINAL STEP BEFORE THE FORECLOSURE SALE OF YOUR HOME.

You have only until 90 calendar days BEFORE the date of sale listed in this Notice of Trustee Sale to be referred to mediation. If this is an amended Notice of Trustee Sale providing a 45-day notice of the sale, mediation must be requested no later than 25 calendar days BEFORE the date of sale listed in this amended Notice of Trustee Sale.

DO NOT DELAY. CONTACT A HOUSING COUNSELOR OR AN ATTORNEY LICENSED IN WASHINGTON NOW to assess your situation and refer you to mediation if you are eligible and it may help you save your home. See below for safe sources of help.

SEEKING ASSISTANCEHousing counselors and legal assistance may be available at little or no cost to you. If you would like assistance in determining your rights and oppor-

ctunities to keep your house, you may contact the following:

The statewide foreclosure hotline for assistance and referral to housing counselors recommended by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission: Toll-free: 1-877894-HOME (1-877-894-4663) https://www.homeownershipwa.org/

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development: Toll-free: 1-800-569-4287 Local counseling agencies in Washington: https://answers.hud. gov/housingcounseling/ s/?language=en_US

The statewide civil legal aid hotline for assistance and referrals to other housing counselors and attorneys

Toll-free: 1-800-606-4819 https://nwjustice.org/home

Línea directa estatal sobre ejecuciones hipotecarias para obtener asistencia y derivación a asesores de vivienda recomendados por la Comisión de Financiamiento de Vivienda del estado de Washington (Housing Finance Commission): Teléfono: 1-877-894-HOME (1-877894-4663) Sitio web: https:// www.homeownership-wa.org/ Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos (Department of Housing and Urban Development): Teléfono: 1-800-569-4287 Sitio web: https://answers.hud. gov/housingcounseling/ s/?language=en_US

Línea directa estatal de asistencia legal civil para obtener asistencia y derivaciones a otros asesores de vivienda y abogados: Teléfono: 1-800606-4819 Sitio web: https:// nwjustice.org/home

This office is enforcing a security interest of your creditor. To the extent that your obligation has been discharged by a bankruptcy court or is subject to an automatic stay of bankruptcy, this notice is for infor-

lassifieds

$500 OR LESS 6 DRAWER DESK used, blue pine desk, 58” long. Needs refinished. Free 541-490-4787

ROCK AND ROCK EQUIPMENT: 2 saws (18” & 24”) several tons of northwest rock. Call for pricing 509426-1100

REWARD $500 1997 Jeep Cherokee, emerald green. STOLEN from Wishram plate #199YHP. Any information contact 509-2811953 and leave a message.

RE-HOMING Lhasa-Apso spayed 7 years old, Loving and protective. Moving and can’t keep 360-702-8124

FREE Electric Wheelchair, needs a battery 360-7028124

FIREWOOD – FREE – you cut and haul, Goldendale, Jim 541-980-4082

GENERATOR Coleman Powermate ProGen 5000

$500 used 509-250-6154

TOOLS Benchtop drill press

$250, 16” delta scrollsaw $175. More – mechanic tools, hand tools, portable saws, etc 509-365-5203 METAL ROOFING, used, Brown 21’ legnths x 18” wide. $1.00 per foot 509773-3636

YARD EQUIP: pressure washer Karcher 2500 Honda motor $150. DR Walk behind string trimmer B&G 8.25 motor $150 503-5155665

BIKE EQUIP Stationary bike trainer, Deuter MT-04, use your won bike $40 503515-5665 FIREWOOD free (rounds) for anyone in need. Columbus Avenue Baptist Church crew will load for you. Please call Ric Stone at 509-250-1332 for details and appointment.

FRESHLY CUT and limbed pine logs, FREE, on Box Canyon Rd 509-773-4497

RECLINER in good shape $50 509-773-4497

P225/60R17 TIRES, legal tread $10/ea 509-261-2758

RC CARS, 1 electric 1 fuel powered, + extras $100 each OBO 509-773-5494

FISHING REELS 3 unused, make an offer 509-7735494

CHROME RIMS. Ford 6 lug. $100 or B/O. 509-7735227.

SLIDE-IN STOVE. Samsung double oven, propane/gas. $250 or B/O. 509-773-5227.

2 SOAPSTONE rocks for carving $25 each 509-2612115

HARLEY DAVIDSON vest and chaps, LIKE NEW $125 for the set 509-2612115

MOTOR HOIST – 2 ton $125 509-393-6230

mational purposes only and does not constitute a demand for payment or any attempt to collect such obligation.

DATED: 09/16/2025

North Star Trustee, LLC, as Trustee

Kellie Barnes, Trustee Sale

Officer

Address for service: North Star Trustee, LLC

6100 219th ST SW, Suite 480 Mountlake Terrace, Washington 98043

Trustee Phone No: (206) 8665345

Trustee Fax No: (206) 3742252

Trustee Email: info@northstartrustee.com

Beneficiary / Servicer Phone: 855-690-5900/317-537-3821

STATE OF WASHINGTON

COUNTY OF SNOHOMISH

ss.

I certify that I know or have satisfactory evidence that Kellie Barnes is the person who appeared before me, and said person acknowledged that she signed this instrument, on oath stated that she was authorized to execute the instrument and acknowledged it as the Trustee Sale Officer of North Star Trustee, LLC to be the free and voluntary act of such party for the uses and purposes mentioned in the instrument.

Dated: 09/16/2025

Theresa Stearns

NOTARY PUBLIC in and for the State of Washington, residing at Mountlake Terrace, WA

My commission expires 7/11/2029

EPP 45206 Pub Dates 12/24 & 01/14/2026 (5210, 0201)

SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE NO. 1554

CITY OF GOLDENDALE

On December 15, 2025 the City Council of the City of Goldendale, Washington passed Ordinance No. 1554. A summary of the content of said or-

QUART CANNING JARS –2 dozen @ $12/dozen 509773-5666

METABO 10” miter saw & Ryobi folding stand, lightly used $100 509-790-9985

RYOBI 13.5 amp corded 16” rototiller, lightly used $100 509-790-9985

BLACK & Decker Portable air conditioner, as new $125 509-790-9985

PROPANE TORCHES, 4, 2 with hoses, & 1 oxypropane torch with many accouterments $75

STIHL 18” MS290 chainsaw with Oregon skiptooth chain $300 907-252-1593 IN SEARCH OF old-style ground drive manure spreader, working or repairable 509-439-1158

ENCYCLOPEDIA Full set of 1966 World Book Encyclopedias $100 509-7735666 leave a message BLUE FIG ROLLING SEWING MACHINE CART, purple, 24” x 12” x 20” big enough for two machines $130 509-261-2038

RIMS (4) stock 16” 5 lug $75 Rims 509-342-6923

Announcements & Notices

Classified Deadlines: MONDAY 9AM Mid-Week Editions: ATTENTION READERS: Readers respond to ads at their own risk. If in doubt about a particular offer, check with the Better Business Protection Agency @ 503-3784320 before investing any money. This publication assumes no liability over advertisers.

Loans

IT’S ILLEGAL for companies doing business by phone to promise you a loan and ask you to pay for it before they deliver.

A public service message from the Federal Trade Commission and the Hood River News, The Dalles Chronicle and the White Salmon Enterprise.

IT’S ILLEGAL for companies doing business by phone to promise you a loan and ask you to pay for it before they deliver.

A public service message from the Federal Trade Commission and the Hood River News, The Dalles Chronicle and the White Salmon Enterprise.

Lost & Found MONEY FOUND Money found at Hood River Library September 2024. Contact Mo Burford, 541387-7060 by December 31, 2025.

dinance provides as follows: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON AMENDING GOLDENDALE MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 8.45.070 TO DESIGNATE THE OCCUPANCY OF A RECREATION VEHICLE ANYWHERE WITHIN THE CITY EXCEPT A PERMITTED RECREATIONAL VEHICLE PARK FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IN EXCESS OF 14 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OR THIRTY DAYS IN A CALENDAR YEAR A PUBLIC NUISANCE

The full text of this ordinance is on file at City Hall and the full text of the ordinance will be mailed upon request.

Dated: December 15, 2025

Shelly Enderby Clerk-Treasurer (5211)

SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE NO. 1553

CITY OF GOLDENDALE

On December 15, 2025 the City Council of the City of Goldendale, Washington passed Ordinance No. 1553. A summary of the content of said ordinance provides as follows: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON AMENDING GOLDENDALE MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 8.12.040 TO ADOPT THE KLICKITAT COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED LIST AS THE CITY OF GOLDENDALE NOXIOUS WEED

LIST The full text of this ordinance is on file at City Hall and the full text of the ordinance will be mailed upon request.

Dated: December 15, 2025

Shelly Enderby Clerk-Treasurer (5212)

SUMMARY OF

ORDINANCE NO. 1551

CITY OF GOLDENDALE

On December 15, 2025 the City Council of the City of Goldendale, Washington passed

Support Groups RECOVERING COUPLES

ANONYMOUS Meets 2nd & 4th Sundays at 10am. 216 Cascade St., Suite 26 Hood River

AA in MAUPIN (open), Maupin Community Church, 490 5th St., Thursdays @ 7pm.

GRIEF SUPPORT

Establishing a Grief Support Group. Please call Natasha 702-755-0778

DEMENTIA

Support Group every 2nd Monday of the month at the Oregon Veterans Home, 10:30am - 11:30am 541-296-7190 for info.

PARKINSON’S Support Group: 1st Thursday of every month, 10:45am11:45am in the Deschutes Room at Waters Edge, 551 Lone Pine Blvd., 2nd Floor. For more information, please contact Chad @ 541340-0142.

AL-ANON in The Dalles: The Dalles Serenity meeting every Monday at 7pm @ Gateway Presbyterian Church, 1111 Dry Hollow. For more info, call 541-2962677.

NAMI|Oregon National Alliance on Mental Illness

NAMI is the largest education, support and advocacy organization on mental health in the nation. The Mission of NAMI Oregon is to improve the quality of life of persons with mental illness and of their famillies through support, education and advocacy.

Under NAMI Oregon sponsorship, NAMI-Gorge providees a monthly support group meeting for caregivers, friends, and family members of persons with mental illness.

Monthly NAMI Gorge inperson meetings are being conducted the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 7:30pm at the Gloria Center at 2505 W. 7th Street, The Dalles. For information on local NAMI Resources, please contact Barbara Telfer: at 541-980-7264 or by email: booklovinbarbarian@ gmail.com.

For other NAMI information or resources: NAMI Oregon Support Line 1-800-3436264.

Alcoholicos Anonimos Reuniones

Jueves 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm St. Paul Episcopal Church 1805 Minnesota St. The Dalles, OR 97058

Ordinance No. 1551. A summary of the content of said ordinance provides as follows: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON ADOPTING GOLDENDALE MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 3.29 PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX

The full text of this ordinance is on file at City Hall and the full text of the ordinance will be mailed upon request.

Dated: December 15, 2025

Shelly Enderby Clerk-Treasurer (5213)

PUBLIC NOTICE KLICKITAT COUNTY is in the process of updating its’ Small Works Roster (SWR) for 2026. Only contractors that fill out the County’s SWR application can be added to the roster.

Contractors/Vendors that are on the SWR will be eligible to bid on county projects. Categories of work include road and building construction, snow removal, renovation, remodeling, alteration, repair, or improvement of real property. Contractors licensed in the State of Washington who are qualified to perform any of the above listed categories and wish to be included please call 1-800-583-8074 or (509) 773-4616 for an application. Applications are also available on our web site at https:// www.klickitatcounty.gov/ DocumentCenter/ View/15217/

Small-Works-Application-2026 (5214, 5307)

NOTICE OF ELECTION Resolution # 12.11.2025-1

December 11, 2025

WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of the Central Klickitat Conservation District (“District”) operates under the laws of the State of Washington applicable to conservation districts. WHEREAS the District is governed by a five-member

NAMI|Oregon National Alliance on Mental Illness

NAMI is the largest education, support and advocacy organization on mental health in the nation. The Mission of NAMI Oregon is to improve the quality of life of persons with mental illness and of their famillies through support, education and advocacy.

Under NAMI Oregon sponsorship, NAMI-Gorge providees a monthly support group meeting for caregivers, friends, and family members of persons with mental illness.

Monthly NAMI Gorge inperson meetings are being conducted the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 7:30pm at the Gloria Center at 2505 W. 7th Street, The Dalles. For information on local NAMI Resources, please contact Barbara Telfer: at 541-980-7264 or by email: booklovinbarbarian@ gmail.com.

For other NAMI information or resources: NAMI Oregon Support Line 1-800-3436264.

DEMENTIA

Support Group

every 2nd Monday of the month at the Oregon Veterans Home, 10:30am - 11:30am 541-296-7190 for info.

AA in MAUPIN (open), Maupin Community Church, 490 5th St., Thursdays @ 7pm.

TOPS - Taking Off Pounds Sensibly meets upstairs at Columbia Bank in White Salmon at 10am on Tuesdays. Join us at 90 NE Tohomish St., White Salmon, WA 98672. No meetings during severe weather. 541980-0251.

AA in WAMIC (open): Tuesdays @ 7pm, NEW LOCATION! Molly B’s @ 57740 Main St., Tygh Valley, Oregon.

MAC Lung Disease Support Group: for details, please call 541-483-2253 or 541805-5068.

STROKE SURVIVORS

SUPPORT GROUP

Mid Columbia Senior Center 1112 W 9th Street The Dalles 3rd Thursday of the month 1:30pm-3pm Questions, 541-980-8633

TOPS OR #942 meets at Gateway Presbyterian Church, The Dalles, Thursdays, 5:30-6:30pm.

RIVERVIEW Al-Anon Family Group in The Dalles: Episcopal Church of St. Paul, 1805 Minnesota, Taylor Hall. Meets every Thursday, 12:30-1:30pm. This meeting

board, as set out in RCW Chapter 89.08 and WAC Section 135-110. It is RESOLVED that a pollsite election for an open position on the District board of Supervisors will be held on February 12, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Centerville Grange 2288 Centerville Hwy Centerville, WA 98613. The elected position whose term is expiring in May 2026 is currently held by Miland Walling. The appointed position whose term is expiring in May 2026 is currently held by Marty Hudson. Interested candidates must be registered voters who reside within the boundaries of the District. Candidates may be required to be landowners or operators of a farm, depending on the current composition of the District board of supervisors. The filing deadline for candidates to file their candidate information is January 12, 2026 at 4:00 pm. Interested candidates must file their candidate information at the following location: 1107 S. Columbus Ave., Goldendale WA 98620. The election supervisor will be Courtney Tatro. A conservation district supervisor is a public official who serves without compensation and who sets policy and direction for the conservation district. The published election procedures can be viewed at the District office and are available from the Washington State Conservation Commission at http://scc. wa.gov/. Adopted at a board meeting of the District Board of Supervisors on December 11, 2025. (5215)

is free and open to anyone in the community who is interested in attending.

DO YOU HAVE HURTS, HABITS, HANG-UPS?

Attend CELEBRATE RECOVERY, a faith-based 12 step program, every Thursday night at Hood River Alliance Church 2650 W. Montello (Off Rand Road) Dinner provided at 5:45pm and large group meeting at 6:30pm For more info. call 541-386-2812

AL ANON FAMILY GROUPS

(Support for family and friends of alcoholics) meets Mondays at noon Pathways to Recovery Riverside Community Church 317 State St. Ruth Wells Room Tuesdays at 7pm St. Mark’s 11th & Eugene Hood River

Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group

Meets in person at Columbia Gorge Community College, Hood River campus, across from Rosauers, on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30pm. Support group participants have all lost someone to suicide and strive to help each other with their grief journeys and advocate for suicide prevention. Contact Brent and Shawnee at bsemmons@ hrecn.net or 541-806-2790.

Alcoholicos Anonimos Reuniones Jueves 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm St. Paul Episcopal Church 1805 Minnesota St. The Dalles, OR 97058

24 HOUR AA HOTLINE and meeting information: District 14. 1-833-423-3683

TOPS OR #942 meets at Gateway Presbyterian Church, The Dalles, Thursdays, 5:30-6:30pm.

Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group Meets in person at Columbia Gorge Community College, Hood River campus, across from Rosauers, on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30pm. Support group participants have all lost someone to suicide and strive to help each other with their grief journeys and advocate for suicide prevention. Contact Brent and Shawnee at bsemmons@ hrecn.net or 541-806-2790.

RIVERVIEW Al-Anon Family Group in The Dalles: Episcopal Church of St. Paul, 1805 Minnesota, Taylor Hall. Meets every Thursday,

12:30-1:30pm. This meeting is free and open to anyone in the community who is interested in attending.

TOPS OR #443 meets Thursday mornings, 8:30- 10 am. @ Zion Lutheran Church, use elevator entrance only. 10th and Union St., The Dalles, OR.

HAVEN: Weekly counseling groups for victims of domestic/teen dating violence or sexual assault. Biweekly educational classes given in Spanish and English for domestic violence. Call Haven, 541-296-1662.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS meetings please go to gorgeaa.org.

24 HOUR AA HOTLINE and meeting information: District 14. 1-833-423-3683

NA MEETINGS Every Wednesday. 6:30 - 7:30 at the Casa Guadalupe House, 1603 Belmont, Hood River, Oregon.

NARCOTICS Anonymous: Goldendale United Methodist Church, 109 E Broadway, Thursdays @ 7pm.

GRIEF SUPPORT Establishing a Grief Support Group. Please call Natasha 702-755-0778

Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group Meets in person at Columbia Gorge Community College, Hood River campus, across from Rosauers, on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30pm. Support group participants have all lost someone to suicide and strive to help each other with their grief journeys and advocate for suicide prevention. Contact Brent and Shawnee at bsemmons@ hrecn.net or 541-806-2790. AA in WAMIC (open): Tuesdays @ 7pm, NEW LOCATION! Molly B’s @ 57740 Main St., Tygh Valley, Oregon.

NA MEETINGS Every Wednesday. 6:30 - 7:30

Goldendale Christmas church

The churches of Goldendale are holding special services for Christmas. Their events are as follows:

Bible Baptist Church Candlelight Service, December 23 1015 S Columbus Ave https://discoverbiblebaptist. org/live / discoverbbc@gmail. com

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

December 21, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Christmas Worship Service. Everyone is invited to participate in scriptures, stories, and hymns. RSVP on website. 104 West McKinley Street (509) 241-8355 https://local. churchofjesuschrist.org

Church of the Nazarene Please join us for a candlelight

Christmas Eve service, December 24, 6 p.m. 124 W Allyn Street (509) 773-4216

Email: goldendalenaz@gmail. com

Columbia Avenue Baptist Church Christmas Program, December 21, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. 815 North Columbus Ave. 509-773-4471

email: columbusabc@ embarqmail.com

Community Grace Brethren Church

Christmas Eve Service, December 24, 4 p.m. 1180 S. Roosevelt St. Goldendale, WA (509) 773-3388

email: officemanager@ goldendalegrace.com

Goldendale United Methodist Church

Candlelight Communion Services in the sanctuary, 5 p.m. 109 E. Broadway St. (509) 773-4461 gumchurch12@gmail.com, goldendaleumc.org

Holy Trinity Catholic Church

Christmas Vigil - December 24 at 5:30 p.m.

Christmas Midnight Mass at Midnight Christmas Morning Masses at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. 210 S Schuster St.

New Life Assembly of God Men’s Bible Study, December 24, 6:30 a.m.

The TAB Youth – Our group is for those in 7th through 12th grade. The name “The TAB” is short for the Tabernacle, a meeting place between God and humanity. December 24, 7 p.m.

Adult Bible Study, December 24, 7 p.m.

1602 S. Columbus Ave. Goldendale, WA (509) 773-4650

Email office@ newlifeaggoldendale.org

Orthodox Mission, Ss Joachim & Anna Orthros and Divine Liturgy, December 24, 6 p.m.

Royal Hours, Typica, Vesperal Divine Liturgy, December 24,11 p.m.

219 W Main St. Goldendale, WA

John Phelps 907-317-3828

Email: frjohnphelps@ protonmail.com

Father’s House Fellowship West Wing Ministry, December 24 and 25, 9 a.m. 207 S Klickitat Ave, Goldendale https://sites.google. com/view/fhfgoldendale/ home?authuser=0

Check It Out

BethWood, Collection Librarian FortVancouver Regional LibraryDistrict ContactBethWood with questionsaboutthis column:360-906-4996or bwood@fvrlorg Holiday Romance andHallmark Movies Here inVancouver and thesurroundingarea we don’t

the holiday spirit If youdratherread your winter romance wevegot you covered as well:

Sweet like marshmallows

• HerChristmasSecret by Gabrielle Meyer(2024)

• “A Cross-country Christmas”by CourtneyWalsh (2021)

• So Thisis Christmas byTracyAndreen (2021)

• “Always,in December”by Emily Stone (2021)

• In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (2020)

• “CatchingChristmas”byTerri Blackstock (2018)

• One Day inDecember byJosie Silver(2018)

Spicy liked hot mulled cider

• How My NeighborStole Christmas byMeghan Quinn (2024)

• “Wreckthe Halls”byTessa Bailey (2023)

• Holiday EverAfter by Hannah Grace (2025) Good Spirits by BK Borison (2025) Christmas-themedbooks from bigname authors Richard Paul Evans •The Noel Collection and many others

Real,meaningful,andfullof

Debbie Macomber

• DearSanta (2021)

• Merry and Bright (2017)

Susan Mallery

• “Home SweetChristmas”(2022)

• HappilyThisChristmas (2020)

New at

FICTION

12WaystoKillYourFamilyatChristmas byNatashaBache

“It’sMeTheyFollow"byJeannineA Cook

TwiceAround a Marriage byRobertOlenButler

NONFICTION

“100RulesforLivingto100”byDickVan Dyke

TheKingCookbook byClareDeBoer

LincolnsGhost:HoudinisWaronSpiritualism and theDarkConspiracyAgainsttheAmerican Presidency byBradRicca

CHILDREN MyTwo ChristmasTrees byAdamCiccio WhatisLunarNewYear? byVivianJunKirklin

toyou

This year, instead of chasing someone else’s version of “perfect” Teremana - the premium small-batch tequila brand - has created Recipes for Real Mana,” a seasonal moment designed to help people embrace celebrations that reflect their own lives tastes and communities in a way that feelsrealandauthentic

People crave belonging and connection

FindyourrecipeforrealMana

A perfect companion for any holiday gathering, Teremana Tequila makes mixing cocktails effortless and fun while festive initiatives like Recipes for Real Mana offer seasonal inspiration that brings people together As part of the campaign its holiday site features an interactive Cocktail Generator Answer afew simplequestions andthe tool recommends a cocktail to match your vibe-whether it’saPomegranate Margarita for a festive get-together a Cranberry Palomaforfamily gatherings oraMochaEspressoMartiniforacozy evening by the fire It’s a playful way to explorenewrecipes sharegoodenergy and bring a little extra Mana to every celebration

“Mana isn’t just a word; it’s a way of celebrating what really matters says Teremana Tequila Global Brand Ambassador Alan Ruesga-Pelayo

“This season it’s less about perfectly settablesandmoreaboutthemoments that make you smile, laugh and connect Whether you’re raising aglass with friends hosting a spontaneous gatheringorsavoringaquieteveningat home,Teremanaistheretomakethose moments feel intentional, meaningful, and a little magical It’s about opening yourheartandyourhome onyourown terms

A recent poll from the American Psychological Association” found that half of Americans lack companionship signaling that more and more people are craving deeper connections When you open your doors welcome others in and share good energy, no matter what that looks like it offers seasonal inspiration that encourages people to come together in ways that feel real relaxed and personal, tapping into the fundamentalhumanneedforbelonging

From festive gatherings and cozy nights in Recipes for Real Mana is a reminderthattheholidays dont haveto be perfect to be memorable They are yours to shape;full of laughter, warmth and connection, exactly the way you wantthem

To find more information, inspiration and festive cocktail recipes, visit teremanacom/holiday and follow @ teremanaacrosssocialmedia

PomegranateMargarita

Servings:8-10

• 2cupsTeremanaReposado

• 11/4cupspomegranate juice

• 1cupfreshlimejuice

• 2/3cupcinnamonsyrup

• 3pinchessalt ice cinnamonsticks rosemary sprigs In pitcher combine reposado pomegranatejuice limejuice cinnamon syrupandsalt Stirtoincorporate Pour into rocks glasses over fresh ice Garnish with cinnamon sticks and rosemarysprigs

In Sweden, there used to be a widespread belief that animals could talk on Christmas Eve

My Swedish mother read me stories about this as a child and it is true Apparently throughoutScandinavia folkswouldgivetheir animals treats so they wouldnt speak badly of them This part makes me doubtful not that the animals got treats, but that anything I gave my cat, Felix, would prevent him from giving his opinion with or without the ability to speak Felix would tell you that he thinks he should get more treats all of the year and that he has grown tired of his current cat food and that he thinks he should get brushed at least an hour every day and that under no circumstances does he want his nails trimmed Hesaysthisallthetime Hejustsays it in Cat But I like the reminder to treat our pets especially kindly over the holidays because whether or not they are talking about us I’m sure the holiday season is chaotic and confusing People are coming and going at strange times Strangers come to the house, andthepeople who are supposed to be there are gone for longperiods of time Sometimes our pets are asked to wear silly costumes and get a bath and then are taken to strange places which Im sure is exciting but also rather nerve-racking Lately I’vebeengivingoutdogtreatsonmy walks I ask the owner if their dog would like a treat and, if its OK, I give the dog a little holiday snack Some are skeptical until they taste it Some wont take it from my hand but will take it from their owner But most dogs

are happy to get a treat I wish them a happy holiday and when I see them again they tug ontheirleashand if theycouldtalktheydsay Hey! Its the treat lady! There isn’t much that makes me happier than making an animal happy and Im guessing that is how the Swedes felt when they gave the dog a bone or brought an extra bucket of oats to the cows It must have been a reminder, when they looked into those surprised cows’eyes that this day was different Long before there was a Christmas tocelebrate therewasthelongestnightof the yearand inScandinavia that wouldbeavery long night indeed

That night of the winter solstice when the sun set so early and the dark lasted so long would be a good time to remember the animalswhohadno wayof knowingwhenthe sun would be closer or when the days would be warmer or when the darkness would not last so long

Thoseanimals would see the dark and feel the cold just as their owners did and they would want a little reassurance They would want a bone to chew on or a little bigger supper They would want the backs of their ears scratched andareminder that they were not alone and they wouldnot gohungry

And that is what we all need that is really all we need this time of year

We need to be reminded that we are not alone Wehave others whocareabout us We willhave ameal withalittlesomethingspecial about it and we will remind others that they are caredfor I willtrytodothat Withalltheanimalsinmy life andall the people too Toseephotos,checkoutCarrieClassonAuthor on Facebook or visit CarrieClasson com

ACROSS

1) Rural horse-drawn conveyance 5) They might be renewed or exchanged

Ulan 14)Olin of"Chocolat" 15)Huge production 16)Muscatcitizen 17)"Island in theSun"author Waugh 18)Mona thatjust hangsaround 19)Bannedfrom polite conversation 20) What uninterestingwords soundslike 23)Makesenseof 24) Open mouth, 28)Hotelspa,eg

31)Spoil

32)Pig'spride 36) Freethrowscore

37)Eat bycandlelight 38) Doesn'tshut-up

42)Bugand then some 43)Ore44)Unfathomablechasm

45) Reproductivecells

46)Popular Pontiacofthepast

49)Crushing tool

51)Small waves

56)"You knowtherest"

59)Room atsea

62) Balcony box

63)Schleps 64)Unbroken horse,forshort 65)Frankenstein flunky

66)Magnetiteand others

67) Actors' platform

68)Earth tones aone(none)

DOWN

1) Marblehunks

2) Name-tagword

3) Wordsafter"bend"or"lend"

4) Spinnaker'ssetting

5) Heavy parchment-likepaper

6) Sleep-inducingdrug

7) "When You

8) Abrasion aftermath

9) Horticulturist'sstudy

10) Asian caregivers

11)One may be kept running in a bar

12) Inspiration forLennon's"Woman"

13)South American cruisestop

21)Gravycontainers

22) Barordersforthecalorie-conscious

25)Poet Dickinson

26)Majorand captain,eg

27)LockofGoldilocks

29)Whiff kingRyan

30)Publicity

ready for theworld

Earthenwarecooking pots

singer'saccompaniment

Applywith lightstrokes

Abbr ona toothpaste box

Buccaneer'sport

We know elves are busy as bees when Christmas is right around the corner, but have you ever wondered what they do after the sleigh is parked and Santa finally takes a nap? Believe it or not, elves don’t spend the whole year twiddling their thumbs or polishing candy canes. As soon as the holiday dust settles, they leap into their “off-season fun mode,” which is just as busy but a whole lot sillier.

In the spring, elves turn the North Pole into the world’s frostiest festival grounds. They race polar bears, who usually win, plant marshmallow flowers in the Snowflake Garden, and hold competitions to see who can build the tallest tower out of gumdrops. Elves love spring because it’s their chance to try out new toy ideas, and sometimes those ideas come from the most unexpected places. Maybe they spot a seal waddling across an iceberg or a gust of wind flipping things upside down. With everyone wrapped up in technology they are having to be more creative than ever!

Don’t be surprised to see a few elf TikTok moves like the “Candy Cane Shuffle,” “Reindeer Hoof Hop,” or “Jingle Jingle Freeze Dance.” They may even make a “You can’t park here” compilation or you may catch an elf or two traveling the world reviewing the best cookies to bring back to Mrs. Claus. A few pranks here and there keep the elves’ world full of surprises and fun scares. Elves are very mischievous! In a fun, friendly, and harmless way of course! Think of them like playful little kids who get the giggles at the silliest things. Their mischief isn’t mean or tricky but full of joy, surprises, and keeping life at the North Pole interesting.

Summer is spent camping, hiking and exploring but when autumn arrives, elves switch into “prep mode.” First, they tidy up the workshop, sweeping up every last sprinkle of sparkle dust. Then they test old toys, polish sleigh bells, and update the Naughty-and-Nice-Checker. It hasn’t been long since they switched from paper to an I-Pad and convincing Santa that it would be easier and faster was not easy. He is kind of stuck in his ways and he secretly still keeps a paper list just in case his tablet dies.

What kind of music do elves listen to?

Ha!

By the time winter returns, the elves are refreshed, energized, and ready to jump back into Santa’s big countdown. Their off-season may be filled with games, giggles, and gobbled cookies, but everything they do helps them be the best helpers they can be. So the next time you picture Santa’s workshop standing still all year, remember: elves don’t just work hard, but they play hard, explore boldly, and keep the North Pole magical every single day.

The North Pole’s tree needs a star!

Jingles the Elf found one! But he needs your help to get it to the top of the tree!

Christmas is a wonderful season around the world filled with hope, love, joy and happiness. Merry Christmas from the Smartypants family and let’s keep the magic alive!