HEADLINES & HISTORY SINCE 1879 Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025
Vol. 146 No. 3
$1.00
New board changes time for public comment LOU MARZELES
BUSINESS CLOSED: Starcade Pizza on Collins Street closed January 6. Owner Michael Snyder has filed a $5 million defamation suit against four Goldendale residents whose personal attacks on him led to dwindling customers.
Defamation suit filed against attackers of business owner LOU MARZELES EDITOR A spate of inflammatory information has shut down a Goldendale business and led to a multimillion dollar defamation suit. Starcade Pizza on Collins shut its doors January 6 in the wake of rapidly declining clientele as four people in Goldendale launched a coordinated series of attacks on social media against owner Michael Snyder, going so far as to create a Facebook page specifically aimed at warning people against the business and Snyder. The page was called “Beware Starcade Pizza Owner” and called itself “A community page to raise awareness of the threat the owner of Starcade Pizza, Michael Snyder, poses to the community of Goldendale and his past criminal behavior.” The site claimed Snyder is a pedophile with criminal charges and a history of domestic violence. The Facebook page against Snyder was created and run by Darlene Williamson, Leandra Kessinger, Amanda Dershon, and Julia Skillman. Williamson, Kessinger, and Dershon are longtime Goldendale residents. Skillman is Snyder’s child. Skillman was also named in a separate action in Klickitat County Superior Court for violation of a no-contact order. All four were named as defendants in a suit filed January 7 in Klickitat County Superior Court by Snyder for defamation. The suit seeks $5 million in judgement and $5 million in punitive damages, along with attorney fees and associated costs.
An extensive review by The Sentinel of documentation reveals Snyder has no standing criminal record nor any extant record of domestic violence or child endangerment. The Sentinel obtained access to complete, detailed records of all legal action related to Snyder, including the critical final disposition of all charges. The claims Williamson, Kessinger, Dershon, and Skillman made several claims about Snyder, including a particularly charged statement at Halloween last year when Dershon said on the Everything Goldendale Facebook page that Snyder was “trafficking your children.” After Snyder posted a video of some kids on Halloween at the Starcade stealing an entire bowl of candy, Williamson wrote, “It’s illegal to post pictures of (other people’s) kids on the internet.” (That statement is false given that the event was public.) The group variously decried Snyder with comments such as, “he’s creepy,” “he’s so into kids,” and “people watch your children.” They stated without substantiation that Snyder might have installed cameras in the Starcade bathroom stalls. The four acquired documents, most likely supplied by Skillman, related to a conspicuously contentious divorce 20 years ago between Snyder and his ex-wife and posted them online; in some cases, documents were sent to specific business owners. But only initial documents were included that recounted charges by the ex-wife, which seemed to suggest gross improprieties by Snyder. None of the final case disposition documents were sent. In regard to every
charge, those final case records indicate Snyder was cleared. Particularly revealing was documentation in which Snyder’s ex-wife admited to fabricating many of her charges against him. Snyder took and passed a polygraph test denying all his ex’s allegations. The suit Snyder’s suit against Williamson, Kessinger, Dershon, and Skillman, filed jointly as himself and Starcade Pizza, claims the four made charges and allegations about` him that they are unable to prove. It includes three counts against the four defendants. Count I claims “The Defendants willfully, maliciously, recklessly, and intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon the Plaintiff [Snyder] without just cause with the intent of harming the Plaintiff… Defendants made statements about and toward a family entertainment center [Starcade Pizza] owned and run by the Plaintiff and disseminated hearsay that alleges, through direct statement or innuendo, that Plaintiff has nefarious intentions toward children and support and spread lies that Plaintiff had threatened harm to a child and others both in the present and the past.” The count adds Snyder came into the community specifically to dedicate his business and life to “support the community with children and family as a focus” and states the defendant’s “false claims had the intended effect of causing Plaintiff to be needlessly feared by some members of the community and caused ‘Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.’” In Count II, Snyder states, “The Defendants have intentionally,
See Suit page A8
Ferguson proposes $4 billion in cuts to ease deficit
It didn’t take long for the new Klickitat County Commissioners regime to make a sweeping change. Their January 7 meeting was the first of the year and the first for the new lineup that saw Ron Ihrig and Todd Andrews take the place of Dan Christopher and Jacob Anderson. Last year’s Chair Lori Zoller took the gavel only long enough to supervise the election of chair and vice chair. Ron Ihrig picked up the gavel as this year’s chair, and Todd Andrews became vice chair. Ihrig, who served as a commissioner more than 20 years ago, wanted to change the meeting schedule to a pattern he was familiar with from that previous service. After some discussion, Andrews made the motion: “I’d like to make a motion,” he said, “to change Tuesday’s start time to 9:30, and that is for workshops, and that will currently continue to be up here, and Zoomed. And for us to start having meetings every Thursday downstairs in the Mt. Adams room, starting at 9:30 for workshops that will not be Zoomed.” With that change, the time for public comment is now moved to 1 p.m. instead of 9 a.m. Commissioners emphasized that no votes could be taken, nor any decisions made in the work-
JUAN JOCOM
JUAN JOCOM/WSJ
PROMOTES BUDGET PLAN: Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson speaks during the 2025 legislative preview in Olympia on Jan.9. Ferguson replaces Jay Inslee who served for 12 years. rate with legislative leaders and state agencies to identify programs that are not reaching their goals for Washington residents. Some programs could be cut by less than 6 percent, and some could face larger cuts, Ferguson said. In December, outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee proposed a wealth tax to make up the projected deficit, which would tax residents of Washington who are worth $100 million or more. Ferguson, however, has expressed skepticism with this plan. “We are not going to tax our way out of this,” Ferguson said. Ferguson also shared his previously proposed plans to invest in affordability, transportation and
‘We are not going to tax our way out of this,’ Ferguson said.
public safety. He is proposing an additional $100 million over two years to hire more law enforcement officers in the state. Additionally, Ferguson said he also wants to accelerate getting more ferries in operation. In addition to the current budget shortfall, Ferguson said he wants to look at the whole process the state uses to forecast revenue and expenses. “I intend to spend some time making sure I understand how we got to this level of a shortfall, and to make sure that I, as a governor, do everything I can to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Ferguson said. Ferguson becomes Washington’s next governor today. The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website operated by the WNPA Foundation. Visit wastatejournal.com.
shop sessions. They are open to the public, though there will be no public comment. Decisions and public comments would be reserved for the working meetings, on Tuesday afternoons. Though with two new commissioners on board, meeting twice a week every week could be helpful getting them up to speed, commissioners are likely to feel backlash in not Zooming the Thursday meetings. There were not many workshop sessions held in 2024, but all those that were held were Zoomed. The schedule change starts immediately, though the very first Thursday workshop on January 9 was scheduled to be Zoomed. Planning Director Scott Edelman discussed with commissioners how to proceed with appointing volunteers to a County Solar and BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) Ordinance Project Advisory Committee, and to fill positions on the county planning commission. Applications for the advisory committee can be found on the county website. Edelman also reported on the Monroe-Wilson rezone in the Snowden area, which drew what he called “quite a bit” of local opposition. He said opponents had not appealed the decision locally but had taken it to the state’s Growth Management Services
See County page A8
DEA
MULTICOLORED DISASTER: Fentanyl is often sold looking like multicolored candy to appeal to younger users.
Updating fentanyl threat and treatment LOU MARZELES EDITOR
WASHINGTON STATE JOURNAL
Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson unveiled a budget-cutting plan to ease a projected $12 billion statewide budget deficit during a 2025 legislative preview in Olympia Jan. 9. “Washingtonians expect that we will increase revenue as a last resort. I will not contemplate additional revenue options until we have exhausted efforts to improve efficiency,” Ferguson said. Estimates of the deficit vary widely, from $7 billion to $15 billion. To make up the deficit, Ferguson proposes cutting spending by 6% budget across most state agencies and a 3% budget cut to four-year higher education institutions. The cuts are projected to save $4 billion. Public K-12 education, community and technical colleges, public safety agencies, and pass-through entitlement benefits delivered by state agencies to eligible Washingtonians are not affected by the cuts. Ferguson said he will collabo-
RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL
The Sentinel recently spoke with Dr. Sarah Walton, based in Phoenix and who specializes in opioid treatment, to obtain an overview of the current state of fentanyl danger and ways to combat it. Sentinel: Fentanyl addiction has been a growing concern across the country. Would you give us an overview of what fentanyl is and why it’s so dangerous? Walton: Absolutely. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s significantly more potent than morphine—about 50 to 100 times stronger, in fact. It was originally developed for medical purposes, like treating severe pain, especially in cancer patients. When used appropriately under medical supervision, it’s a valuable tool. The danger arises when fentanyl is produced illicitly and mixed into other substances, often without the user’s knowledge. Even minute amounts can cause respiratory depression and lead to fatal overdoses. Sentinel: That potency is striking. Why has fentanyl become such a prominent issue in recent years? Walton: There are a few key reasons. First, fentanyl is relatively cheap and easy to manufacture compared to other opioids. This makes it appealing to illicit drug producers who often mix it with heroin, cocaine, or counterfeit prescription pills to increase potency or profits. Sec-
ond, the opioid epidemic created a population of people with substance use disorders who are at high risk of encountering fentanyl in the drug supply. Finally, its potency means that even those trying to use it recreationally are at much higher risk of accidental overdose. Sentinel: What makes fentanyl addiction particularly challenging to treat compared to addiction to other substances? Walton: Fentanyl’s potency and rapid action make it highly addictive. Users quickly develop a tolerance, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effects. This can escalate dependency and increase the risk of overdose. Withdrawal symptoms are also severe and can include extreme pain, anxiety, and gastrointestinal distress. Because fentanyl affects the brain’s reward pathways so powerfully, breaking the cycle of addiction is incredibly difficult without comprehensive treatment. Sentinel: Could you elaborate on how fentanyl impacts the brain and body? Walton: Fentanyl binds to opioid receptors in the brain, which are involved in pain relief and feelings of pleasure. When these receptors are activated by fentanyl, they flood the brain with dopamine, creating intense euphoria. Over time, the brain’s natural ability to produce dopamine is diminished, leading to dependence on the drug to feel normal. On the physical side, fentanyl can slow or stop breath-
See Fentanyl page A8