HEADLINES & HISTORY SINCE 1879 Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2024
Vol. 145 No. 20
$1.00
TROY CARPENTER/GOLDENDALE OBSERVATORY
GOLDENDALE AGLOW: Goldendale Observatory Administrator Troy Carpenter captured the Northern Lights dancing over Goldendale Friday night (above). Below, the enormous sunspot that created the conditions allowing the Aurora Borealis to be seen is visible in the lower right section of the sun in this picture also sent by Troy. Below right, the Lights as captured on a farm near Goldendale by Naomi James.
Celestial magic lights up the sky Goldendale Observatory Administrator Troy Carpenter sends us this account—and the beautiful photograph above—of the Aurora Borealis that graced Goldendale skies in recent days. The whole world is buzzing about the geomagnetic storm that occurred over this weekend. While the event itself was anticipated, its extraordinary scope was not. Humans in every hemisphere observed bright and energetic aurorae for several hours during the strongest disruption of Earth’s magnetic field in over two decades. X-Class solar flares within an enormous, Earth-facing sunspot region called AR3664 released multiple coronal mass ejections toward our planet, the first of which arrived on May 10. Some of these flares were observed in real-time during public solar programs at Goldendale Observato-
ry, and at 120,000 miles across, the active sunspot region was so large that it could be viewed without magnification using ordinary eclipse goggles. Visitors to Goldendale Observatory lucked out on Friday night, witnessing continuous auroral activity from dusk until closing time. Staff made recordings until dawn the following day, and the display did not relent even once. I have never seen an aurora this bright, colorful, or spastic in motion. The faces of our patrons were clearly illuminated during the best moments, and for the first time in my 11 years at the facility, telescope observation was disrupted by the intensity of the Northern Lights. Nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters simply disappeared into the overwhelming auroral glow, but people didn’t seem to mind! Anyone who missed the show
this weekend should be heartened to know that they may get another chance over the coming year, as the Sun has entered the maximum phase of its 11-year activity cycle. More Earth-affecting flares could be in the offing. Images and timelapse videos of the Aurora over Goldendale will be posted on the gallery page at GoldendaleObservatory.com by today, May 15. (Along with the top photograph, Troy also included another of the Sun on Thursday using the Observatory’s new Astro-Physics telescope, illustrating the gigantic sunspot AR3664.)
Molnar named U.S. Presidential Scholar
LOU MARZELES
NEW PLAY AT SCHOOL: The Goldendale High School Drama Club presents a new production showing this weekend called “Lip Service.” The one-act play chronicles the comic attempts by Charlie to propose to Laura at a romantic restaurant only to be thwarted repeatedly by a bonkers staff. Pictured left to right are, front row: Kaya Campbell and Grace Flanagan; back row: Elizabeth Paynes, Abigal Flanagan, Director Jennifer Armstrong, and Brooke Baker. The show is Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18, at 6 p.m. at the Goldendale Middle School. Admission is $5 for people age 10 and older, $3 for ages 5 through 9; 4 and under are admitted free.
Proposal from solar firm draws fire RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL Two controversial items on the Klickitat County Commissioner’s agenda May 7 were postponed to later dates by unanimous vote. Commissioner Dan Christopher, who had been away the previous two meetings, cast his vote by Zoom. He apologized, saying he was “sicker than a dog,” and he often had to mute
his microphone due to coughing. Not surprisingly, one of those items concerned the county jail, and a request to spend $26,538.46 for seven electronic bracelets, described by San Francisco-based vendor 4Sight Labs, Inc. as “a combination of ruggedized biosensors, mobile apps, control dashboards, analytics reports and cloud services that continuously monitors people from the moment of their arrest,
through transport, processing. and detention.” The system, dubbed “Overwatch,” tracks the subject’s heart rate, oxygen level, and temperature in real time “for safety alerts and quick intervention.” The item was originally scheduled as one of the 11 items on the consent agenda, but at the request of Commissioner Jacob Anderson, it was pulled from the
See County page A8
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona last Tuesday announced the selection of Lexi Molnar of Centerville, who attends Goldendale High School, as a 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar. Molnar is one of 161 outstanding American high school seniors who have demonstrated remarkable academic achievement, artistic excellence, technical expertise, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community. “The 161 high school seniors selected for the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Presidential Scholars program represent the best of our nation’s schools and inspire hope in the bright future of this country,” said Cardona. “On behalf of President Biden, I am delighted to celebrate their accomplishments, and encourage these scholars to continue to aim high, lift up others, and embrace opportunities to lead.” The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on academic success, excellence in the arts, and in technical education through essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as a demonstrated commitment to community service and leader-
CONTRIBUTED
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR: Lexi Molnar has been recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
ship. Of the 3.7 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 5,700 candidates qualified for the 2024 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT or ACT exams or through nominations made by chief state school officers, other partner recognition organizations and YoungArts, the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists. As directed by Presidential Executive Order, the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of two students from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-
See Molnar page A8