HEADLINES & HISTORY SINCE 1879 Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2025
Vol. 146 No. 9
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Commission meeting sees first split vote of the year RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL
CONTRIBUTED
FINALLY IN GOLDENDALE: Spencer Sieler has established his home inspection business in town and joined the board of directors of the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce.
Spencer Sieler has made it to Goldendale JORDAN MAYBERRY FOR THE SENTINEL On January 1, Spencer Sieler took his position on the Board of Directors for the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce. This milestone marks not only a step forward for his business, High Prairie Home Inspections, but also a continuation of his family’s journey back to Goldendale, an aspiration that took root years ago. “I have always wanted to be a
home inspector,” Sieler shares. “It’s always been one of those careers in the back of my mind. I’ve always wanted to do it as early as high school, but no one ever pushed me to try it, so I was always stuck with the more stable jobs.” For years, Sieler worked as a service manager, but a simple conversation with his wife changed everything. “Then finally in 2021 my wife was like, ‘Why don’t you be a home inspector?’ We were sitting at dinner one
night. I was a service manager for a crane company at that point. She pushed me to go for something I wanted, and it’s really worked well.” Sieler’s history in the Goldendale area began at the outset of winter, upon his graduation from technical school at the age of 22. “I drove around one winter in December and stopped at every wind farm office I could and ended up getting a job in Goldendale. Other than that, I had only passed
See Sieler page B1
Klickitat County Commissioners had the first split vote of the year at their February 18 meeting. It involved a motion that was tabled two weeks previously. Commissioner Lori Zoller had moved to fill a vacant case manager position for the probation department, a position that has been vacant for two years. “The motion is to fund the position for one year,” she said, “with the caveat in the motion that during that time the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) and the cities would commit to reviewing the idea of a public safety levy. If the levy was not found possible, or did not pass by September 2025, the BoCC would pursue and finalize city contracts for probation services that would be implemented January 1 of 2026.” Zoller was joined by East Klickitat Circuit Court Judge Rick Hansen. “Maybe we didn’t emphasize this enough,” he said. “We are at a point that our probation department’s basically in a crisis mode. They are overburdened, overworked, and some of them are threatening to quit because they can’t handle the case load. We have to make some decisions rather than tabling them down the road all the time. If you’re in a position where you can’t tell us we can fund that position now, then we have to look at trying to cut these services, which are essential. I don’t even want to try and envision what that might look like.” Chair Ron Ihrig said he preferred a broader picture: “It’s not that there’s not a needed position, but I’d rather look at it collectively because I’ve heard a lot of other needs, too. And I will not use interest income to fund positions. I don’t want to go hiring people today and then let-
ting them go later in the year.” When it came time to vote, Zoller’s motion was defeated, with Commissioner Todd Andrews and Ihrig both saying they want a policy that considers the effects of their actions on all county employees as a group. In the morning workshop session, County Planner Scott Edelman noted the planning commission was set to meet that evening. “There are a few fairly controversial issues,” he said, “especially based on setbacks from riparian areas, and adoption of the critical habitats and species. There’s nobody in the middle on this issue. All the comments are, ‘These new standards are way too strict,’ or ‘You need to go further and adopt as strict a standard as possible.’” Commissioners also heard presentations on the Snyder Creek enhancement projects and on the Klickitat Old Mill site. Under the consent agenda, commissioners approved: • An interlocal cooperation agreement with Yakima County. • Local agency supplemental agreement No. 3 with Applied Archaeological Research, Inc. for on-call Archaeological Services. • Local Agency Supplemental Agreement No. 1 with Bell Design Company for on-call surveying services. • An interlocal agreement with Skamania County for maintenance of the Northwestern Lake Bridge. • Publication of costs using county forces in 2024 on construction projects. • A joint grant management agreement with the City of The Dalles for phase 2 of the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport business park. • Authorization to advertise for a vacant legal administrative assistant I in Goldendale for East District Court.
TAYLOR RICHMOND, WASHINGTON STATE STANDARD
LOSING BATTLE?: Holly Koon, a high school biology teacher for over 30 years, works through a lesson with two of her students.
Failing student performance fuels school funding debate TAYLOR RICHMOND WASHINGTON STATE JOURNAL Holly Koon struggles every day in her 9th-grade biology classes to help students achieve, but sometimes it seems like a losing battle. Chronic absenteeism, growing class sizes and fewer classroom helpers all get in the way of student learning, she said. “All students can absolutely learn, and they can learn to standard,” she said. “I have a biology class right now with 36 students in it; I have one instructional aid. How do you – in 60 minutes a day – individualize and support all 36 students?” Koon’s question is one that echoes across Olympia this Legislative session as Democrats and Republicans debate how to spend dollars dedicated to education. Fueling that discussion is a national assessment that shows 71% of Washington eighth graders are not proficient in math, compared to 58% in 2013.
Although Washington is doing better than the national average, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal agrees that student performance needs to improve. “We have to make significant gains in elementary and middle school math in order to set up our students for maximum success in high school and beyond,” he said. His plan includes fully funding basic education, including materials, supplies and operating costs and special education. Reykdal said the difference between what the state supplies districts, and what they are spending on materials, operations and special education totals more than $800 million. Democrats agree with Reykdal’s assessment. At a recent rally, Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, said: “There is nothing more important for the state government than to provide ample funding for the education of all kids who reside in the state of Wash-
ington.” Republicans say they agree funding is an issue but Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, said legislators should carefully target new spending. “The Legislature needs to acknowledge the reality and the highly disproportionate balance of power between teacher unions and the school districts,” he said. “If we just write blank checks to the districts, that money will go to teacher salaries.” While Stokesbary is happy teachers have “one of the highest average teacher salaries” in the nation, he says money should be spent more directly to improve student outcomes. For example, House Bill 1832, sponsored by Rep. Michael Keaton, R-South Hill, wants to tie teacher bonuses to test scores. Under his plan, National Board-certified teachers would no longer receive extra money. Instead, money would be given to
See School page B1
Fentanyl cuts a deadly swath LOU MARZELES EDITOR Continued from last week. Medical experts across the country agree that fentanyl represents a uniquely deadly threat because of its potency and a general lack of full information about its lethal nature. Here, a consolidation of expert opinion addresses what needs to be done. A multi-pronged strategy for a complex crisis • Enhanced public education: Simmons and Wilkins agree that awareness is paramount. Communities need to be educated not only about the dangers of fentanyl but also about the critical steps to take during an overdose. • Robust safety protocols for first responders: Ensuring that emergency personnel are protected is essential for maintaining an effective response. Proper training and equipment can
prevent accidental exposure. • Long-term research and development: As Mooney noted, there is an urgent need for innovative treatments that move beyond the temporary reversal of overdose symptoms to address the lasting impact of fentanyl on the brain and body. • Policy and community-based interventions: Volkow and Lembke both stressed that controlling the fentanyl epidemic requires coordinated policy initiatives—such as stricter controls on illicit manufacturing— and community programs that integrate harm reduction with accessible addiction treatment services. The fentanyl crisis has reverberated far beyond the emergency room. It is affecting entire communities—straining healthcare resources, burdening emergency services, and contributing to a climate of fear and uncertainty. “We’re not just
See Fentanyl page B1