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Great things
to read in
Car chase...page 3 Voc Ed students...page 7 Wrestlers going to state...page 10
this week's
Sentinel
L
II
Price 50¢
Thursday, February 19, 2004 • Goldendale, Washington 98620-9526
One hundred and twenty-fifth year --- No. 8
RENAISSANCE STUDENTS
m
pital's comm
,wants
By SAM LOWRY
News Reporter
The central issue concerns
cost vs. quality and scale. As
some have put it, do~ the dis-
referring to the sud-
' Contributed photo
; rendition of the prehistoric Missoula Flood in the Columbia River
near Crown Point. From the painting "The Airival," by Shedd,
artists Stev ("Don't call me Steve") H. Ominski and Brian Swaren.
SKINNER
obs.
a movie theater, that
points are often dis-
local government,
and in the newspa-
reeenfly, they were
COnclusion directly
the people who
survey.
conducted by
and Kerry Crain
like it's
great shape,"
call it a sudden
I, Hastings may back Ice Ag flood "trail"
mination letter, excused him-
self quickly when The
Sentinel r, ,'hed him by
phone. He did ask Kim
Knotts, Common-wealth's
director of investor relations,
to call The Sentinel.
"We always reserved the
right to modify any of the
benefit plans," said Knotts.
"The Goldendale group was
not singled out. We've been
consistent in how we've han-
dled it." ~notts cited a June
26, 2o03 press release that
announced a variety of cost-
cutting measures, from
See HEALTH, page I6
SAM LOWRY
denly-improving prospects for
a National Park Service project
that could benefit Klickitat•
County and much of the
Columbia River basin.
It's called the Ice Age Floods
National Geographic Trail.
Kleinknecht is the Tri-Cities-
area chapter president of the
Ice Age Floods Institute, a non-
profit organization with chap-
ters in four states, dedicated to
study of the Missoula Floods.
These massive floods swept
down the Columbia between
12,o0o and 14,000 years ago
when a series of ice dams
broke, releasing the contents of
of ice-age lakes esti-
mated to have been
up to 2,000 feet
deep and 200 miles
long. At times, the
floods sent 4do-foot
walls of water down
the Columbia River
Gorge and sub-
merged the site of
today's Tri-Cities
under a thousand
feet or more. They
left behind a unique
landscape of
coulees, scoured
cliffs, boulder-
strewn fields, giant
ripples and a host of
other geologic oddi-
ties that went unde-
ciphered for years.
There has been talk for many
years of finding a way to "inter-
pret" the ancient flood land-
scape for the public. To
Kleinknecht and others who
are fascinated by the age-old,
cataclysmic event, the floods'
features, stretching from
inland Montana nearly to the
Pacific, are a national treasure.
By 2ool, the National Park
Service (NPS) had a plan in
place. Not really a trail at all,
the project's practical vision
was to establish markers on
existing public lands that
would identify flood-related
geological features. Hundreds
of sites would be compiled on
maps and in self-guided litera-
ture for interested visitors.
A study and design pro-
dueed by Jones and Jones, a
Seattle landscape architecture
firm, won two national awards.
But then, quieldy, the com-
bined effects of recession and
See ICE AGE, page 11
... Jobs, tourists and industry, please
for the newly created "indus-
trial committee" ' of the
Goldendale Area Camber of
Commerce, asked many ques-
tions along side the employ-
ment inquiry.
If one were to make conclu-
sions from the x4-page report
(which was random, but not
scientific) a few things rise to
the surface: Goldendale needs
jobs, better government and
local entertainment.
A primary idea from the
survey is the perception of
Goldendale as a retirement
community. More important-
ly, that it could grow more in
that direction, and produce
jobs.
As one respondent said sue-
cinctly, "Only if designed as
Arizona has it."
Referring to the a~ive and
organized lives of the retired
snowbirds that flock to the
southwest each winter to live
in happy climates and whose
communities cater to the
active elderly rather than shut
them in homes.
"People need to be educated
on what a retirement commu-
nity is," said Crain.
Crain's definition of retire-
ment community is three-tier,
with retirees in independent
scenarios all the way to till
nursing care options all of
which are situated within an
active elderly environment.
Crain says that translates into
jobs, "They [retirees] would
need cooks, house keepers
and nursing care."
A second theme to emerge
from the survey is this: There
See SURVEY, page 12
ances that whatever is done,
will be done fight.
Board members and hospital
officers say they are prepared
to delve into past decisions that
have led the project to its pre-
sent place.
Goldendale citizens' upset over
the cost underesti~ 3te and the
later loss of $432,000 to a
failed contract ($422,000 of it
since recovered). "We had to be
sure on this one," Kolberg said.
He also vouched tbr the pro-
"ECONOMICAL PLANS" See HOSPITAL, page 12
Public forum on school
levy Wednesday night
The Goldendale school in a Feb. 3 vote. Official results
board and levy committee are released by the Klickitat
asking everyone in the com- County Auditor s office on
munity to attend a public Friday give the final margin as
forum on Wednesday, Feb. 18 55.7 percent (830 votes) in
at 7 p.m. in the Goldendale favor, 44.3 percent (65£votes)
High School gymnasium, opposed. The levy needed a
A discussion of the 2004-05 6o-percent margin in order to
and 2005-06 school levy will
be moderated by board chair
Deborah Heart and members
Carl Conroy, Pat Gallagher,
Larry Hurst and
David Telford, said
the levy committee's
Linda Anderson.
The board and
committee will also
have printed surveys,
paper and pens avail-
able. "We are inviting
the public, and asking
them to express themselves,"
said district Superintendent
Ian Grabenhorst.
The Goldendale School
District's proposed
$x,395,ooo-per-year, two-year
replacement levy was defeated
See offi-
cial levy
results from
distriets
around the
county on
page a6.
pass.
State law allows the option
of holding another levy elec-
tion, either on April 27 or May
18. The board wants
to hear from the
community first,
and do a better job
of explaining the
levy, before deciding
whether or not to
hold another elec-
tion, said
Grabenhorst.
Goldendale High School is
located at 525 Simcoe Drive.
Anyone who needs addition-
al information should call
Linda Anderson at 773-4608
or Ian Grabenhorst at 773-
5177.
BARBECUE| TEXAS BARBECUE!
Photo by Sam Lowry
Just re-opened under new management, Roadhouse 97,
two miles north of Goldendale, serves breakfast and Texas-
style barbecue prepared in a double-barreled outdoor smok-
er. "Barbecue is our calling," said David Joe "D.J." Metreveli
(RIGHT), who bought the restaurant along with partners
Rick Trayan and Carol Hunt (See the Biz Buzz, page 3).
turer,
nine
of the small local
Co-workers in the
when
Industries, a
aluminum
owned the
the John Day
miles from
*rnpanies scram-
or more gorge-area
sec-
',, ~sadly, yes.
is only one ot the
tales in what many
a widespread trend,
from high medical
have financially-
The company cited an
"extremely competitive and
difficult )3usiuess environ-
ment," with "orders at his-
toric lows," for its decision to
"amend certain benefit plans
to improve cost structure and
market position."
"I tfiink it was outrageous,"
said Verna Boyette, 70, of The
Dalles. She is one of the
retirees who lost her medical
coverage. "That hurts when
you get to this age." Boyette
said she has sufficient income
and is "not destitute," but has
begun paying $XlO per month
for supplemental coverage.
at the Goldendale plant, "It
was supposed to have been a
lifetime benefit. I'm pretty
devastated. I was using it as
my principal insurance. You
could probably get by if you
didn't have to take any medi-
cines."
Jack Bartel agreed. "We're
going to feel it. Prescriptions
are the worst," he sai~l. Bartel
and his wife will pay about
$275 a month for supplemen-
tal coverage.
What's more, most recall
the offer of a survivor benefit
- healthcare for a spouse
after the retiree's death, as in
trict want, and can it afford, the
At last, the hospital's acute Mercedes, the~olvo, the Chevy
care wing committee is off the or the Bug?
ground.
: ..... . , Some of the 30 or so corn- The board's message is that
.I munib, members at its inau- aiming for the Bug is short-
i" 1 gural meeting last Wednesday sighted. They favor a Volvo - it
J" raised hard questions; some gives the family room to grow.
Meanwhile, some citizens -
.,j ............ displayed more than a little and the county treasurer, who
skepticism. Many expressed oversees hospital district
frustration with the small
amount of time allotted for finances - are saying: We ve
Photo by Sam Lowry questions and discussion, got money fi)r a Bug; prove to
W " , • |! •
alted ten years to see more parents in the stands for the Renmssance awards than for a basketball game, said But they showed up, and set us that we don't need more,
endale Schools' Superintendent lan Grabenhorst. Families and friends filled the bleachers on Thursday evening, to work resolving the thorny and remember that our credit
12, as about 150 students were recognized for academic achievements including Fall 2003 grade point averages issues at hand. is already stretched to the limit.
'e 3.0 and grade point improvement. Here, special guest speaker Connie Pond (FAR LEFT) leads award winners We want to get the show Archi(ect Steve Kolberg of
Peterson Kolberg Associates
Jgh some inspirational tai ch'i. back on the road. That s what (PKA! in Portland and inde-
~ ~ ~ Dennis Carver, board of com- pendent projet~ manager Milt
,rmer sn elter owne r cuts retir ,=es loose missioners' chair for Hospital District #1, which operates the Ketcham presented floor plans,
Klickitat Valley Hospital conceptual drawings, construe-
(KVH), said several weeks ago tion details and cost figures for
the planned wing, which would
rnmonwealth In preparation for what She also felt a sense of Walsborn's case -- as havir when the committee was being adjoin the current building on
,, _, , "" ......... turned out to be the smelter's injustice. "Everybody was been in exchange for taking formed.He was referring to the hos- itspKASOUthhasSide.been working on
~Usines can- first shutdown and eventual under the impr,ession it would reduced pension. Thats wh pitals difficult last year, which theproject for about a ~ ear and
t,, ltl:r., , sale to current owner Golden last a lifetime, said Boyette. Boyette recalls, and she oug],
lifetime Northwest, Commonwealth "I could understand if they to know; she was the plant s saw progress on the care wing a half, since a pre~4ous archi-
stymied by financial woes and a tect was fired for drastically
,,_~ offered an estimated 50 to went bankrupt. They ,could benefits administrator at the change of architects.
Ui:il coveraQe z00 salaried employees, who have done it differently, time. Once those problems were costUnderestimating- the 2ooo citizens'the projeCt Scom_
t .~a~=, ,-,, ,~v " had by then passed the age of Among other retirees that Those who agreed to theresolved and the new archi- mittee helped pass a $7.5 mil-
ew-~,.~vvr~. 5o, an early retirement pack- The Sentinel was able to tradeoff not only lost the teets plans were nearing com-
ews Re otter age. The offer included life- locate in The Dalles area, the income, their widows or wid- pletion, the board convened lion levy., only to learn it would
not be nearly enough.
do- time medical insurance, with sentiment was unanimous, owers are losing the health the committee to help them On this night, Kolberg pre-
, e~ a company owe the option of coverage for "The insurance was the main benefit as well. decide how to proceed,sented a budget of $7,650,000
.es . who retired soouses, part of the retirement," said The company, according to Some members had beenfor the building, Sm,3o8,on
ago~ - • ...... part of a similar committee in for the entire project. He
^_," ....... Last June 28, the retirees Dick Miller, who was athe retirees, ~s unwflhng to
t~dlS Sl~ruCK In (liner ,, ,
o- • - who accepted the package chemist at the smelter. This discuss anv of it. "I ve written 2000 that reviewed an earlier
nomlc times be and were still on the was the deal. The letter from to Com~onwealth," said vernon of the care wing plan. vouched for its economy: "Its
t, even.when benefi- Commonwealth planreceived Commonwealth was out of Miller. "I've called. No The•board in recent weeks one of the most economical
are aging, on fixed a letter from Louisville. Their the blue." response." imAted them to serve again, with,'fl°°r ,planShe I Vesaid.ever KolbergW°rked
and counting on a former employer was termi- Said Shirley Walsborn, Brian Rettaliata, the direc- licOtherssessioncameint°thetheKvH°pen'board-pUb" eveITdescribedcost b)hC~Wa buildinghe had con-rUn
- company said was nating the health benefit as of whose late husband Howard tor of corporate human room because they care about tractor. "We knew it was real
Jan. 1, 2004. worked in production services resources who signed the ter- the hospital and want assur- hot," he said, referring to