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PAGE 4
JANUARY 22,
DAN RICHARDSON, PUBLISHER
SAM LOWRY, REPORTER
A PUaJCAT N OF T RTAN PUBL A ONS, INC. ° ANDREW J. MCNAB,
PRESIDENT
Vote
on school levy
Sometimes the right thing to do isn't clear. Tuesday, Feb. 3 -- election
day - isn't one of those times.
The school levy is the only item on the ballot, and the right thing to
do is crystalline in its clarity: Go out to the middle school and vote yes
on Goldendale's school levy.
A quick recap: The levy will amount to $1,395,00o for two years,
coming to about lo percent of the school district's annual budget. The
levy pays for annual insurance, utilities, maintenance, classroom equip-
ment, books and school nurse, among other items.
I'm convinced that school district officials have held the line pretty
firmly when it comes to their district's spending.
The levy would raise property tax rates in the district to about $2.1o
per $1,ooo of value, up from $1.51 currently. That's $21o for a
$100,oo0 home -- not an unreasonable amount. The change in tax rates
sounds dramatic, until one learns that the rates reflect the cannon-ball
splash that the new Calpine energy plant has had on local tax value, and
the resulting loss in state school aid.
Public schools are flawed - teaching to the lowest common denomi-
nator, over-muscular teachers' unions, educational theory that some-
times promotes getting by in place of critical thinking - but they
remain at the core of our communities, whether we're talking about
Goldendale or small towns anywhere.
None of the flaws, real or imagined, add up to reason enough to vote
against an operating levy, not here in Goldendale, where administrators
appear to be spending money pretty responsibly.
Not having kids in school isn't reason enough, either: We need the
district to continue educating our young neighbors and future fellow-
voters as best it can, and instilling in them a sense of common purpose
and community.
To de-fund the schools simply to save a few dollars a year would be
selfish and short-sighted.
The arguments for the levy make sense; the arguments against don't
add up to enough to oppose it.
The school administrators have offered us a modest levy, and an easy
decision: Fund the schools. Vote yes on Goldendale's school levy.
--- Dan Richardson
Snow builds character
We got a pile of snow in my area last week, and it surprised a lot of peo-
ple. Most surprised were folks who haven t lived here very long, but the old
timers took it all in stride. I would see people !n town, and they would say,
"Hey,,this is like the winters we used to have!
We re told that global warming is making snow a thing of the past. One
news report states a United Nations committee of more than 2,0o0 scien-
tists predicts warming temperatures will put many
I ski resorts out of business by the year 2,o8o. The ~:~.
U.N. committee says this would impact ( |no ~~
i economies of countries like Switzerland and[ RRP.k ~1
might influence site selection for the Winter I ~"''--~'. ~?J~]l
Olympics. I torly
I was shocked and appalled, not only about ~, e20o4 ao~erPondx~''" )
the Winter Olympics having to worry about
snow, but also about 2,0o0 scientists agreeing on
anything. Then I realized I won't be skiing much in 2,o8o, anyway, and
we've got enough snow to keep everybody busy for quite awhile.
I remember the big storm we had in the Midwest when I was six years
old. We had a snow drift nearly as tall as the chicken house, and my broth-
ers used the grain shovels to dig tunnels so we could play Eskimo.
A grouse hunting friend once told me he had some sheep in his pasture
when that storm hit. He went out later and couldn't find his livestock. Then
he noticed some bumps in the snow. When he began digging he found
there was a sheep under each bump!
Some folks think nasty weather helps build character, and I tend to agree
with them. Our local farmers used to say, "The weather's pretty bad around
here, but it keeps the riffraff out."
Sometimes ! think we'd be better off if we got one big snow every winter.
That wa~¢ we could remember how to deal with it.
We might learn how to shovel the sidewalks, for example. I drive down
the street in our little town and find kids, elderly people, and able-bodied
men walking in the street - because the sidewalk is full of snow!
What's the matter? Doesn't anybody own a shovel?
Have we become so dependent upon machinery that we've forgotten how
much can be accomplished with a shovel and a small amount of sweat?
I used to get letters from an old-timer in southern Michigan who said the
farmers in his area used to shovel snow off the county roads. Folks didn't
have big machinery in those days, so the men just divied up sections of the
road and went to work.
Most of them went to work, anyway. There was one guy who never did
his part, and his section of road was generally full of snow. (Much like the
sidewalks in town.)
His neighbors took a philosophical approach to the whole thing. My cor-
respondent says everyone just figured this fellow would get to do plenty of
shoveling where he was headed - and it would probablybe coal.
lHave something to say?
Write us a letter/
Send it to our editorial page at gspublisher@gorge.net
THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR GOLDENDALE AND KLICKITAT COUNTY, WA
ESTABLISHED 1879 • PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY FROM OFFICES AT
117 W. MAIN ° GOLDENDALE, WA 98620
TELEPHONE (509) 773-3777 ° FAX (509) 773-4737
EMAIL: (NEWS) SENTINEL@GORGE.NET OR (ADS,
COMMUNITIES, HOMETOWN) GSENTINEL@GORGE.NET OR
(EDITORIAL) GSPUBLIsHER@GORGE.NET
THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL STAFF
KAREN HENSLEE, CLASSIFIEDS, JOBWORK &PRINTING
AMY WALKER, GRAPHIC DESIGN
BETH SCHRoDER, NEWSPAPER LAYOUT & DESIGN
HELMUT ADLER, ADVERTISING SALES & CIRCULATION
Deadlines:
Display Advertising: 5 p.m. Friday
Classified Advertising: Noon
Monday
Legal Notices: 10 a.m. Tuesday
News and Letters: Noon Friday
Subscriptions:
1 Year, 2 Years
Goldendale - Carder $22, $37
In Klickitat County - $29, $52
Outside Klickltat County - $38, $70
USPS 2213-6000 WEEKLY. Periodical postage paid at Goldendale Post Office,
Goldendale, Wash. 98620. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Goldendale
Sentinel, 117 W. Main St, Goldendale, WA 98620-9526.
1"he Goldendale entinel
T H E C O M M U N
"Be alive while
you're alive"
To the Editor:
I just want to pass along what
George Carlin suggests; and on
these snuggle-down cold days it
just might help us.
The ten points on staying
young are:
1. Throw away nonessential
numbers. This includes age,
weight and height. Let the doc-
tor worry about them. That is
why you pay him or her.
2. Keep only cheerful friends.
The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning! Learn more
about the computer, crafts, gar-
dening, whatever. Never let the
brain idle because an idle mind
is the devil's workshop and the
devil's name is Alzheimer.
4. Enjoy the simple things in
life.
5. Laugh often, long and loud.
Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. Tears happen. Endure, grieve,
and move on. The only person who
is with us our entire life is our-
selves. Be alive while you're alive.
EAT ALL YOUR
PI~STICIDI~S,
AND hiERCURY--OR
NO D~S$~RT!
mJparr yacartao~s, co~
'Wearly had it city council on Jan. 5
the water and sewer rate
with The Monitor" it,s important the public
whole picture. Economic
To the Editor: Tent should have a good
When Becky Blanton created the tion, and lower water and
interest is
tourism. With ~''
the county'sGolden-
two biggest dale is in
tourist attrac-
t i o n s a unique
( M a r y h i 11 position,
Museum and
Maryhill if ~Ne are
Winery) just~/iHing to
12 miles away,
and four state appea| to
parks nearby,tourists.
Goldendale is
continuing
To the Editor:
This letter goes out to the citi- paid our fair share.
/(an
zens of Wishram: On Sept. 8, a
dear family member, Judith
Matteson, had her life taken.
Anyone who was in the vicinity Hurrv
up,
of Main Street, across from the
H ~
tavern, between 2 p.m and 3:30 To the Editor"
p.m. that feels they may have On Wishram heights, 5
seen or heard anything that may it was 6.1 degrees. On 9
be pertinent to this case is urged 18 inches of snow. On 16
to come forward and contact the 34.2 degrees - and five
sheriff's department, or me at snow.
figure3_66@yaho.o.com. Any Earth getting warmer.
information brought forward Hurry it up. I am looking
will be greatly appreciated by ward to this.
in a unique ~ her family.
position, if we Jennifer Matteson
are willing, to appeal to more California
tourists. The Golden Gallery
brought many artists together and
was a major attraction in Hold the
line on
December. Again, an example of
what can be done when people water2 sewer rates
work together. So let's keep work-
ing together. To the Editor:
O. E. Paul Here is [an edited] transcript of
Ooldendale my comments to the Goldendale
Vince
are ready).
Another area of
in business, to the citizens such as lower
She dwelt on local issues. I ty taxes, and reduce the
Pat yourselves on eagerly awaited each edition raise revenue with rate in
knowing that there would be let- We were assured that our
the back, G'dale ters to the editor with different interests were protected, and
views of the issues she raised, we would all realize a return of
To the Editor" Respondents would bring new efits for our consent to live neX
We'w~ived )n Goldendale just a views to issues that she raised. It facility that threatens our quali
little over t~vo years and are Was an exciting time. ~" life with toxic emmissions.
impressed with the accomplish- Now what do I see in The Four years later, alltheprot
Tents of local government, busi- Monitor? Boring, tiresome,seem to have been forgotton,
nesses, groups and individuals, lengthy, never-ending missives of with over $2.7 million dollars i:
Particularly impressive are the the injustices to the locals created general fund, most of which
opening of the swimming pool, by the creation of the Columbia generated from the energy ]
new cross-town sidewalks and Gorge Scenic Area; a weekly tirade this administation has the g
street improvements, park renova- ' from someone across the come before the public and tt
tions and improvements, house Columbia River who in a recent en us with dire consequences
restorations, new and renovated edition fancies that she is expert don t agree to pay more for :
businesses and community sup- enough on foreign affairs to give that should be funded by the
port of students and those families advice to President Bush on Iraq; fall of money that Calpine
needing help. and in both of those columns there ated.
These accomplishments would are random underlines, as if we, I believe the water and
be impressive any time but are the untutored and uneducated rates should be lowered
really significant in these difficult readers, need light to be shed on raised. Don't expect to
economic times, what words are fancied to be the infrastructure of
I believe that there are some important, water and sewer lines from a
positive ideas for further improve- I agree that the Columbia Gorge zenry that is Uhemployed,
Tents and opportunities for eco- Scenic Area might infringe on and fighting for survival. You
nomic recovery being discussed property rights granted by the isedCalpinewasthe goose
which won't destroy the local cul- Constitution but a continual whine golden eggs and we would all
ture, nor cost a lot of money, is eventually ignored. (Maybe the in the returns, but if
As an example, let's examine ACLU would agree to bring their (~(~
some of the things new business clout to the issue. Grin!) raise
looks for when considering a move But I've nearly had it with The YOU rates,
to a new area and what govern- Monitor. control guess
ment, groups and individuals can I need to have access to the get is
do to make our area attractive, legal notices which The Monitor the purse smell
Businesses want good transporta- seems to have weaseled out of The strings ten
tion access (this we have), cooper- Sentinel. It seems that they're still when
ation with existing businesses being printed in both papers. As but it's .- toxic
(united we stand), good schools soon as I can satisfy myself that I our starts
(these we have), knowledgeable, won't miss them by dropping The ing
helpful and timely support from Monitor I will consider dropping money, head
government and utilities (a single both my subscription aaad my ad. ~ winter.
point of contact is helpful here), Jim Link The
attractive housing for those reiD- Goldendale i m
caring to the new area (everyone issue here isn't so much the
as the faith and trust we in
can help here by keeping the front Anyone with info, our elected (pfficials. You con
yards tidy and applying a little
paint) and capable local workers i~lease contact usthe purse strings, but it's
willing to learn new skills (many money. Use Calpine money
of a rate increase. We have
7. Surround yourself with what Klickitat County Monitor, after rates are a good place to
you love, whether it's family, pets, having purged all the stale air out I understand the logm you t
keepsakes, music, plants, or hob- of The Sentinel offices (and got justify your desire to"
bies, because they're your refuge, fired for her efforts), I eagerly sub- and sewer rates. Under
8. Cherish your health. If it's scribed and supported her with an cumstances I really
good, preserve it. If it's unstable, ad in the business section, opposed to a rate increase to
improve it. If it's beyond what you That ad is still in The Monitor maintain the system, but
can improve, get help. and in The Sentinel. It may not run circumstances that present a
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a in the Monitor much longer, argument against raising the
trip to the mall, to the next county, Becky tenaciously rooted out Four years ago, this
to a foreign country, but don't go and exposed injustices and hood- tion proposed to the
where guilt is. lures in Klickitat County, shedding Goldendale that if we would
lO. Tell the people you love that light on seams which at the very to the gas-fired generating
you love them at every opportunity, least put some of the seam artists within the city limits in the
Dave Francisco on the defensive and drove them trial park, that the $250
Goldanale underground if indeed they're still dollar facility would return