WSP trooper honored in local ceremony
Lou Marzeles
Editor and Publisher
Sixty-eight years after his death in the line of duty, a Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper was honored in a ceremony Monday afternoon.
Police officers from across Washington, along with public officials and an appreciative crowd from the general public, attended Monday’s ceremony honoring WSP trooper John H. Gulden, held at the Goldendale Detachment Office of the WSP. Gulden was the first WSP trooper killed in action.
“Trooper Gulden’s sacrifice will never be forgotten,” said WSP Chief John Batiste in his remarks. “He gave his life in service to the public.”
Gulden’s life and WSP career was described in the ceremony, including the circumstances of his death. Gulden joined the WSP on April 3, 1929, graduating in the third WSP trooper cadet class. On Dec. 22, 1942, at 4 a.m., Gulden conducted a traffic stop of a pickup being driven without headlights on the Maryhill Loop Road just outside Goldendale. In the truck were two armed teenagers, prime suspects in a string of robberies and car thefts. As he approached the pickup, one of the teens shot Gulden once in the chest. Gulden was able to transport himself to the hospital in Goldendale, but 26 hours after he was shot, he died from his wound. He was 43 years old. A 20-hour manhunt for his killers ensued, and both suspects were arrested and convicted of the murder.
During Monday’s ceremony, the WSP Honor Guard displayed colors and performed precision rifle exercises. A bagpipe played “Amazing Grace,” and Mary Jo O’Leary sang the national anthem. Near the end of the ceremony, a memorial stone honoring Gulden was unveiled.
Present at the event were Schuyler Hoss, Governor Gregoire’s Liaison for Southwest Washington; Senator Jim Honeyford, 15th District – Sunnyside; State Representative Bruce Chandler, 15th District – Granger; Klickitat County Sheriff Rick McComas; representatives from the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Rick Johnson of the Goldendale Police Department.
Police complete biggest drug bust ever
The Goldendale Police Department completed the biggest drug bust in city history Friday, nabbing 14 adults and five vehicles and a cache of guns and weapons from the streets of the city.
The search warrants started at 8 a.m. on Friday morning and concluded around 3 p.m. The warrants were a conclusion of an extensive investigation conducted by the department. The investigation included surveillance done by officers, neighbor’s statements, and the use of informants.
The police made 14 adult arrests for narcotic/drug violations, five vehicles were seized and $1,666 was confiscated. Numerous guns and weapons were also found during the warrants. Police expect to make more arrests in the near future.
Police spokesman Lieutenant Reggie Bartkowski says the department has made it their goal for 2010 to make drug-related investigations a main priority. To achieve this goal, the police department has sent officers to narcotic investigations training and recently obtained a new canine, Timber, that is Washington State Certified in narcotic detection. The police department is partnering with Goldendale residents in gathering information on drug dealers and users in their neighborhoods.
“I believe this drug investigation has been the result of the community of Goldendale saying that they will not tolerate drug abusers in this community,” Bartkowksi said. “I am proud of each and every Goldendale Police Officer for their dedication on the fight against drugs.”
Street plan hearing set for May
Andrew Christiansen
Reporter
A public hearing on Goldendale’s six-year street plan has been set for May 3. It was the only business item on the Council’s agenda at Monday’s regular meeting.
The plan identifies seven areas for a variety of jobs, including road construction, drainage, gutters, sidewalks and wheelchair access ramps. Top priority are phase II of East Collins Street from Roosevelt to Elm Street and King Street from Broadway Avenue and Third Street between Broadway and King Street. Public works director Keith Grundei indicated that funds are expected to be available for these types of projects, and the city would apply for help on those projects first. The projected cost is $314,000.
The remaining streets in the plan are projected for 2012 and beyond, currently estimated at more than $7 million. They include Railroad Avenue; west central phase I (West Court, West Allyn and West Burgen streets between Grant and Washington Street and South Grant, South Golden, South Klickitat and South Mill streets); Fairgrounds Road; Washington Street; and West Collins, West Darland, and Burgen between Columbus and Grant.
The Council heard a proposal by Greater Goldendale Chamber of Commerce president Tom Ireland for a formal agreement between the Chamber and the city over lease of Vern Markee Park, where Chamber offices are currently located. Ireland said the agreement has been a mutually beneficial one and should be made formal.
Two comments from the public were heard. One was a complaint that police are threatening smokers for violating the law requiring a 25 foot separation from business entrances and the other was concern about enforcement of the new parking laws. Police Chief Rick Johnson said there are ways to be 25 feet from entrances without standing in the street. In the case of the parking laws, the concern was with the 200 block of West Allyn, which is too narrow to allow parking on both sides of the road. According to the complaint, residents were forced to park on the north side of the road and not allowed on the strip between the curb and sidewalk in front of their homes, even if curb cutouts were installed. Chief Johnson stated that state law says you cannot drive over curbs and that if you have curb cutouts, parking on the south side would be allowed.
The next regular meeting is April 19 at 7 p.m. The economic development committee will meet at 6 p.m. on April 13, followed by the ordinance committee meeting at 7 p.m. |
