Homecoming sweeps city, selection changes
Justin Garrigus
For The Sentinel
As the city celebrated Homecoming last week, Goldendale High School went through the first phase of significant changes to its Homecoming selection process.
Male participants on the court will not automatically be the seniors from the football team; instead, the school is slowly opening it up for the whole senior student body to be able to participate.
Contrary to recent years, all the "princes" of the homecoming court will not be members of the Goldendale football team, but, as they have done this year, eight of the 12 princes will be from the football team. Then next year, six of the 12 will be from the football team, followed in the successive years by four of the 12 and two of the 12 for the current freshmen and sophomores when they become seniors. When the current eighth graders at the middle school become seniors, Homecoming will have completely changed its choosing process, as Homecoming will not reserve any spots for football players.
GHS Principal Clay Henry states, "The change, I think, is a good thing. It might take some time to get used to in the community, but overall it will turn out better for the student body as a whole."
According to Henry, last year was the first year that the school's ASB (class officers and presidents) became in charge of the planning and funding of Homecoming. Previous years were run and funded by the football coaches themselves.
The state requires that if the ASB is paying for Homecoming, then the money has to be spent on all students, not just the football team. "Back in the '50s, there was only football; now we have soccer, volleyball, and cross-country also playing in the fall," Henry said. "We need to accommodate everyone involved."
So agree or disagree on the changes, it's what the school wants and what the state requires. Homecoming in Goldendale represents alumni coming back to GHS, to celebrate our community, teaching the students what it means to be a Timberwolf-and, of course, the football game.
City approves new tourism contract with Chamber
Lou Marzeles
News Editor
The City of Goldendale extended its tourism contract with the Chamber of Commerce for an additional two years, and the city also approved a proclamation recognizing November as Hunger Awareness Month, in principal action at Monday's City Council meeting.
The city's contract with the Greater Goldendale Chamber of Commerce to promote city tourism was up for renewal, and the contract was approved for $55,000 for each of the next two years. That figure is up from $45,000 a year under the previous contract.
"We found the previous budget made it really difficult for us," says Mindy Blomquist, Executive Director of the Chamber. "It doesn't go very far when you look at the costs for promotional materials that go in a lot of different places. We were having to rely on additional funds from members. This new budget will give us a lot more flexibility."
Tuesday Mayor Arletta Parton signed a city proclamation, approved at Monday's meeting, recognizing November as Hunger Awareness Month and lending the city's support to a hunger-alleviation program being coordinated by the Chamber.
"The program starts Nov. 7th," Blomquist says, "and runs through the month of November. It's in conjunction with a Gorge-wide food drive with participation by every chamber of commerce and every food bank in the area."
From Nov. 7, food donations will be collected in barrels placed at businesses participating in the program and at city hall. Those businesses include Holcomb's Sentry Market, IGA, and the banks in town. While the program will run concurrently throughout the Gorge, all food collected in Goldendale will stay in Goldendale, to assist those in need here.
Police not laughing at prank 911 calls
Goldendale police have responded to a number of false 911 calls over the last few days, including one in the wee hours of Saturday morning.
The call came in at 2:15 a.m. claiming that there was a fight at the football field in Goldendale and that an individual was threatening people with a knife. After determining there was no incident, police officers listened to the taped 911 call and called the source phone. It led to charges of false reporting charge against Jason Johnson and a charge of obstructing justice against Isaac Lowe. Both charges are misdemeanors. More serious calls, such as bomb threats are treated as felonies.
Aside from being illegal, prank calls to 911 put people at risk by diverting safety officers from real emergencies.
Most Wanted Action
Shortly after his picture appeared in The Sentinel, police believe Dean Bromley fled the area and was soon picked up by police near Tacoma. Bromley is believed to be currently housed in the King County jail.
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