Headlines & History since 1879 Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2025
Vol. 146 No. 36
$1.00
Contributed: Jon Huey
GRAVITY AT WORK: The Maryhill Ratz RVOD 2025 Fall Freeride & Tour de Maryhill took place this past weekend and Monday. Dozens of downhill enthusiasts took to boards and go-kart-like vehicles to plunge down the Maryhill Loops at dizzying speeds.
The shrinking of the Little Klickitat Jordan Mayberry For The Sentinel Looking over the banks of Ekone Park, it would seem there never was a river running through it. Once a strong stream at the beginning of the year, it has now become a bed of smooth stones with stagnant pools of water lingering in between. It may be an innocent, if not disappointing, sight for locals, but it stands as an ever-present indicator of a greater ecological concern. Drought conditions are the primary culprit in a county where not one square meter of its land has been left unaffected. A particularly dry May through June instigated a runoff impact of low stream flows. The Little Klickitat has been no stranger to negative environmental impacts to its habitat. As early as 1991, instream flow studies classified the Little Klickitat as “Water Quality Impaired” due to high temperatures and lack of riparian shading. The impact has inhibited
WHAT RIVER? The Little Klickitat River is getting smaller all the time. Lately it’s mostly dry stones with intermittent puddles. water flow measurements and, as a result, threatened its habitat. A community planning document from regional government detailed the at-risk state of the Little Klickitat River, comparing it to other depleted tributaries of larger rivers: “Temperatures exceeding state water quality standards have been recorded in these streams primarily during low flow periods during the summer months,” the document stated. “It is presumed that these exceed-
ances are attributable to lack of stream shading due to degraded or non-existent riparian areas and low summer flows.” The river, as with most streams, experiences seasonal fluctuations, with higher flow levels in mid-spring and autumn and lower flow levels in the late summer and mid-winter. Low stream flow in the Little Klickitat is expected at this time in late August, but the troughs of the late summer have been below optimal
levels. Measured in cubic feet per second (cfs), flows are analyzed according to a healthy metric for the given season. Recent readings from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicate sub-optimal levels for streamflow in both the Klickitat and Little Klickitat rivers. Ideal flow is measured in a range between 750 and 1000 cfs; recent readings in the Little Klickitat have shown levels at or below 700 cfs, with numbers only decreasing. If the flow is to decline
Contributed
any further, a critically low condition will be reached. Alongside more apparent impacts, such as loss of recreational use, negative effects of poor stream conditions include reduced fish populations, reduced biodiversity, and loss of stream habitat—problems that may spell subtle, long-term ecological trouble. The primary cause is clear: widespread drought. Klickitat County has been strongly affect-
See River page A8
Commerce Corner: Is the Chamber Jail meal budget balloons relevant? Why membership matters Rodger Nichols
For The Sentinel
Teja Hanna For The Sentinel One of the questions chambers across the country hear from time to time is, “Is the Chamber still relevant?” or “Why should I even join the Chamber?” Both are fair questions. The world has changed. Businesses face new challenges, technology evolves daily, and expectations of organizations like ours look different than they did even ten years ago. The short answer is, yes—the Chamber is not just relevant, it’s essential. But that relevance doesn’t happen by accident; it
comes from the work we do with you and for you every single day. Why membership matters When you invest in Chamber membership, you’re investing in far more than networking or ribbon cuttings. You’re supporting economic development, tourism promotion, critical business trainings, and the long-term health of our business community. Membership dollars fuel revitalization and beautification, business trainings, and other programs that help businesses adapt and thrive. More importantly, you are investing in one voice
that represents the whole of our business community. The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ Horizon 2035 study notes that chambers must serve as “catalysts, conveners, and champions” to remain relevant. That sums up our approach well. In recent years, our Chamber has sharpened its focus on doing just that: catalyzing growth through training and programs, convening partners across sectors to solve challenges, and championing the businesses and organizations that make Goldendale and Klickitat County strong.
See Chamber page A8
Klickitat County Corrections Director Bill Frantz had some sobering financial numbers for county commissioners at their August 26 meeting. “We’re a 49-bed jail that has an average population of 33,” he said. “Given the Aramark increase of 240 percent in 2025, and the expected raise again in 2026, at least by the consumer price index, I project the food cost in 2026 to be $289,230. With our 2025 budget of $165,000, it gives us a $124,230 shortfall.” Frantz said he’s had a number of suggestions from local residents but that he is operating
under some mandatory state guidelines. “We are required by law to provide one hot meal per day. We are required by law to have an average 2500 calories, and we have to feed them three times a day,” he said. “There are religious diets, and medical diets that have to be addressed. You can’t just go out and buy five TV dinners from Walmart and drop them in a microwave.” He also said the county needs to renegotiate some of its contracts, using Bingen as an example. He cited the Washington State Department of Corrections’ calculation that it costs $82.34 per day to house a prisoner in
See Jail page A8