The Goldendale Sentinel is the official newspaper of Goldendale, Washington and surrounding communities in Klickitat County.

Troops honored on Veterans Day

RACHEL CAVANAUGH
News Editor

     Tuesday, people throughout Klickitat County gathered at cemeteries, War Memorials, parks, community centers, and private homes to honor troops and loved ones that have fallen in service.
     There were ceremonies, speeches, and special tributes from east to west. Each had one thing in common: honoring the memory of soldiers who never made it home.
     Many also reflected on troops currently serving in Iraq and other parts of the world, sending prayers overseas.
     Retired Army sergeant, George Miner, read an essay Monday written by his niece, Brittany Miner, to students in Goldendale.
     He quoted her feelings about a cousin en route to Iraq:
     “The yearning my family and I feel for him is nothing compared to what he goes through on a daily occurrence,” she said.
     “While it deeply saddens me to know he won’t be home for Christmas this year, I know that what he’s doing in Iraq is far more important than a turkey dinner.
     “My family, like many others this holiday season, will have an empty place setting at their tables, but I believe it is a sacrifice worth making.
     “Rather than being filled with sorrow, I’ll choose to be thankful and proud of my cousin and all the soldier fighting for our country.”
     The Maryhill Museum also held Veterans Day events and several American Legion members gathered privately with friends and family to reflect.

Democratic surge in voting may signal change
Political analysts say an influx of new residents could be factor in rising trends

Rachel Cavanaugh
News Editor

SHIFTING TIDES: Klickitat County elected a democratic presidential candidate last week, indicating a possible shift in voting patterns. Rachel Cavanaugh

     A spike in democratic votes in Klickitat County in last week’s elections may indicate a shift in local tides, political experts said this week.
     Although Klickitat County traditionally votes republican, this year’s presidential race showed democrat Barack Obama beating republican candidate, John McCain, by 17 votes, as of Monday afternoon.
     The margin is narrow, but the numbers represent a significant flip from 2004, when George W. Bush took Klickitat County a second time in a row, beating John Kerry by almost 1,000 votes.
     Insiders point to a variety of factors, including the sinking economy and an influx of new residents locally.
     “I do think the demographics in general are shifting towards a more flexible voter,” said Julie Larson, Chair of the Klickitat County Democratic Party. “I don’t know that it’s all democratic, but people who are willing to vote for the best candidate and not necessarily down the party line.”
     David Ammons, Communications Director for Washington’s Secretary of State, Sam Reed, said numbers have shifted not only in Klickitat County, but many parts of the state where urbanization has expanded into suburban and rural zones.
     Many of the republican gains of the mid-90s, he said, for example, were lost in recent years in Vancouver and Olympia.
     “We saw that pendulum swing back and I suspect that’s true in the Gorge too,” said Ammons. “The ultra-red has sort of dissipated somewhat.”
     Lance LeLoup, Professor of Political Science at WSU Pullman, said this election was especially bad for republicans, simply due to the “nature of the year.”
     “With two wars and a terrible economic crisis, plus the Democratic Party having a very strong ticket,” he said. “The republican brand is tarnished. I think you’re really seeing it, not just at the presidential level – at the congressional level…in the state races.
     He said it didn’t help that the party showed inconsistencies at the national level.
     “There’s a real identity crisis going on with republicans both nationally and statewide,” said LeLoup.
     David Sauter, Vice-chair of the Klickitat County Republican Party, agreed that challenges were present on the national stage. However, he pointed to strong republican showings within the county and congressional districts.
     “Locally, I haven’t really seen that,” said Sauter. “The party has been deemed tarnished in the past and has always been able to recover itself and I think we’ll do the same.”
     He said the changes that have been seen locally can be linked in part to an influx of new people to the county.
     Differences can be seen on a regional map. In Goldendale, for example, McCain took all three precincts, but by slimmer margins of 756 to 652 votes total.
     In precincts including Aldercreek, Centerville, Pine Forest, Roosevelt, Woodland, Alderdale, and High Prairie, McCain also triumphed.
     However, in the precincts of Klickitat, Husum, Trout Lake, Lyle, Wishram, Mountain Brook, White Salmon, Bingen, and Fruit Valley, among others, Obama took the ticket.
     Republicans fared better overall in local contests, leading the county Monday in all races for congress, state representative, commissioner, and governor - the latter of which showed republican challenger, Dino Rossi, ahead 919 votes.
     It is not the first time presidential races have been close in Klickitat County.
     Michael Dukakis, for example, pulled off a narrow, 71-vote lead over George Bush Sr. in 1988. In 1976, Jimmy Carter beat Gerald Ford in Klickitat County by a 2,890 to 2,573 margin.
     However, Ronald Reagan took the county by large margins in both his elections.
     Final counts for 2008 will be certified for Washington state on Nov. 25.

Click here for 2008 Klickitat County Elections Results

2008
Barack Obama 4,930
John McCain 4,913

2004:
George Bush 5,016
John Kerry 4,036

2000:
George W. Bush 4,557
Al Gore 3,062

1996:
Bill Clinton 3,214
Bob Dole 2,662
Ross Perot 875

1992:
Bill Clinton 2,758
George Bush Sr. 2,085
Ross Perot 1,938

1988:
Michael Dukakis 2,991
George Bush Sr. 2,920

1984:
Ronald Reagan 3,910
Walter Mondale 2,712

1980:
Ronald Reagan 3,113
Jimmy Carter 2,596

1976:
Jimmy Carter 2,890
Gerald Ford 2,573

     Goldendale’s idle aluminum plant may be one step closer to finding a viable use after a recent meeting of economic development heads.
     On October 28, a group toured the plant, along with other spots like Goldendale’s industrial park, Bingen’s Insitu, and the Port of Klickitat, to discuss the future of jobs and the economy in Klickitat County.
     While there, officials determined a feasibility study is needed to see what best fits the facility. David Porter, regional director for the United States Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), said it is critical to maintain long-term vision.
     “This is a multi-generational view of how you develop 7,000 acres of property,” Porter said.
The director had several ideas for funding that study, which he said could be looked into in the coming weeks.
     At one point, a conference call was made to one of the aluminum plant’s owners, and renewable energy prospects were discussed.
     Mike Canon, Klickitat County Economic Development Director, said the number of jobs created would depend on what industry is developed, but the possibilities are high.
     “It could easily be hundreds and hundreds,” said Canon.
     He pointed out, however, that the jobs will not happen overnight.
     “These are probably in the near future, but the near future being several years,” said Canon. “Not immediately at all.”
     The group also discussed an incubator business in the industrial park – an idea that has been on the table for some time.
     Canon spoke excitedly about Porter’s presence at the meeting.
     “Being federal, he looks at things in a different way than we do,” he said. “He brought a lot of his own energy, but I think it was contagious to everyone else.
     “He’s an excellent asset for us to work with.”
     Porter said he thinks Klickitat County has a lot of assets, noting the tour of the aluminum plant.
     “It’s interesting and intriguing and fascinating and tragic - all at the same time, in a way,” said the EDA director.
     Goldendale, he said, has all of the right elements for a prosperous economy, including transportation and reasonably-priced housing. Although the idleness of the aluminum plant has been disparaging, he said, the future remains hopeful.
     “It probably got slammed psychologically and spiritually by the closure,” said Porter. “[But] I’ve always believed economic development is an energy game, and energy in the sense of …desire and appetite and sense of the future.”
     Recapturing that energy, Porter said, is the key.
     “I’m optimistic about every community. We’ve got community leaders; we’ve got a mayor that’s energetic and wants to make things happen,” Porter continued. “I certainly got the sense that people played very well in this community and that’s a big help.”

Long-time Goldendale resident killed in car crash

     Wayne Byers was killed in a two-vehicle accident, Sunday afternoon in Goldendale. The accident occurred around 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 142 and Highway 97.
     Byers, 89, of Goldendale, attempted to turn from Highway 142 onto northbound Highway 97 when he collided with a southbound pick-up truck towing a trailer, according to Washington State Patrol.
The collision spun Byers’ vehicle and sent the pick-up into the ditch on the east side of Highway 97.
     The driver of the pick-up, John Wilson, 67, of Macola, Ore., was treated and released from the Klickitat Valley Health hospital.
     It was the second loss recently for the Byers family.
     Wayne Byers’ son, Allen, died of natural causes on Sept. 29.