Klickitat County hit a massive infrastructure roadblock during the weeks of 3/31 and 4/7. The county was forced to legally reject every single bid across four major public works projects, hitting the reset button on thousands of dollars of deferred maintenance. And, STR regulations are finally updated, with an implementation schedule hitting the calendar. Finally, could trash contracts with bigger cities save the county budget?

In This Episode

• The finalized 2027 timeline for Short-Term Rental enforcement.
• Chasing regional trash contracts to boost county revenue.
• Legacy stormwater challenges and private easements on Adams Slope.
• A major triage upgrade for the county's 911 dispatchers.

Resources & Links

• Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com
• April 7, 2026 Agenda Packet

Stay Connected with the Gorge

The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.

To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.

In this episode, we break down the Skamania County Board of Commissioners meeting from Tuesday, April 7th. We’re diving into the Columbia River Gorge Commission's updates on disaster rebuilding, the debate over Accessory Dwelling Units, and why the strict rules around "temporary" workforce housing are putting a massive financial squeeze on local farmers and families.

In This Episode:

• State lawmakers sweep the Public Works Assistance Account, replacing local grant dollars with higher-interest loans.
• Title III emergency funds are officially approved for local fire and EMS.
• Federal bureaucratic delays threaten the upcoming Forest Youth Success summer season.
• New state SNAP benefit rules mandate eighty hours of work or volunteering, raising concerns for rural residents.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com
• Find full agendas, audio recordings, and meeting minutes at skamaniacounty.org.

Stay Connected with the Gorge

The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.

To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.

Imagine qualifying for essential developmental disability services, only to be told the waitlist just to get an assessment is over a year long. That's the reality uncovered at the April 1st meeting of the Klickitat-Skamania Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board. We're breaking down what's causing this massive structural bottleneck and what local advocates are doing to help families bridge the gap.

In This Episode:

• Why recent testing data from the White Salmon School District is raising alarms for special education students.
• The critical childcare deserts in rural Klickitat County and the severe impact on respite care for families.
• Klickitat Valley Health's funding push to get Medicated Assisted Treatment directly into the county jail.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com
• Klickitat-Skamania Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board Official Site: https://www.ksddab.org/
• Documenter notes are available for republishing under Creative Commons license CC by 4.0. Please credit Columbia Gorge Documenters, powered by Uplift Local, and link in show notes to https://upliftlocal.news/columbia-gorge/columbia-gorge-documenters/

Stay Connected with the Gorge

The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.

To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.

In this episode, we are looking at the Goldendale City Council's March 2026 meetings, and unpacking a major financial threat quietly draining the city's public safety budget. We break down how a cascade of controversies and ongoing mismanagement at the Klickitat County jail, including a recent two-million-dollar wrongful death settlement, is forcing local municipalities to foot the bill for extreme medical clearances just to process standard arrests.

In This Episode:

• Escalating issues with the county jail contract
• The tightrope of state road funding: why the city used stop signs instead of lowering the speed limit on twenty-first street.
• Distributing over one hundred thousand dollars in lodging tax grants for local tourism.
• Securing multi-year contracts for the city's police and municipal employees.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written Klickitattler at skamaniadispatch.com
• Review the full March 2 and March 16 Council Packets at the City of Goldendale Website.

Stay Connected with the Gorge

The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.

To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.

In this March round-up for Stevenson, we cover the growing friction over mandatory sewer connections and the emergency repairs needed for the city's failing water intake. We also dive into the Planning Commission's heated debate over a proposed hop-farm campground that has Skamania Lodge threatening legal action.

In This Episode:

• An emergency, quarter-million-dollar fix for the Rock Creek water intake.
• The defeat of a "Sanctuary City for Gender Diverse Peoples" resolution.
• New City Council appointments and upcoming Planning Commission vacancies.
• Municipal tourism funding for the CAT Dog Mountain shuttle.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com
• https://upliftlocal.news/with-recall-efforts-resolved-stevenson-council-member-lucy-lauser-resigns/
• City of Stevenson Agendas & Zoom links: ci.stevenson.wa.us
• Watch the full meeting recordings on the City of Stevenson YouTube Channel

Stay Connected with the Gorge

The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.

To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.

This month, White Salmon is wrestling with the real-world costs of rapid regional growth. We’re breaking down the latest moves from the White Salmon City Council, the Planning Commission, and the Tree Board, covering everything from a massive tree removal plan for the new bridge to the surprisingly fierce debate over shared sewer lines for new housing.

In This Episode:

• The Cost of Density: Why local developers and the city's Public Works department are clashing over shared utilities and trenching costs.
• Speed Zones: The Pucker Huddle Coalition's push for slower traffic on State Route 141, and why the city is hitting the brakes on their support letter.
• Mail Stalemates: The latest (or lack thereof) on White Salmon's fight with the USPS over at-home delivery.
• Free Blueprints: The Planning Commission's pitch for pre-approved housing plans to cut red tape.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written version of the newsletter at skamaniadispatch.com.
• Access raw agendas, Zoom links, and public comment forms for upcoming municipal meetings at the city's official portal: whitesalmonwa.gov.
• Explore policy solutions for urban infrastructure at Strong Towns and the Incremental Development Alliance.
• Documenter notes are available for republishing under Creative Commons license CC by 4.0. thanks to Columbia Gorge Documenters, powered by Uplift Local: https://upliftlocal.news/columbia-gorge/columbia-gorge-documenters/

Stay Connected with the Gorge

The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.

To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.

We wrap up a busy March 2026 in North Bonneville, covering recent City Council actions and a critical Planning Commission meeting. We discuss the city’s proactive mapping of underground utilities, the ongoing regional environmental friction spilling into local comment periods, and a massive 71-page update to the Critical Areas Ordinance that could impact riverfront property owners.

In This Episode:

• Mitch Patton's public comment regarding the Bradford Island cleanup board.
• The expensive push to replace an obsolete fire hydrant near City Hall.
• The search for a summer maintenance worker and streamlined building permits.
• Why a 71-page environmental code update is crucial to keeping state grant money flowing.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com
• North Bonneville City Council & Planning Commission Agendas: https://northbonneville.net/government/council-meetings/
• Critical Areas Ordinance draft amendments: https://northbonneville.net/planning/periodic-review/

Stay Connected with the Gorge

The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.

To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.

Skamania County is bracing for the financial fallout of a state-level budget mistake that threatens local public health services. We also dive into the aging infrastructure of our temporary homeless shelters and a culturally charged interview for the regional library board. This episode covers the Skamania County Board of Commissioners meetings from March 17 and March 24, 2026.

In This Episode:

• Public health budget frictions emerging out of the WA state legislative session
• Why county buildings used for emergency shelters are reaching the end of the line.
• A look at the intense cultural stakes surrounding the open Fort Vancouver Regional Library board seat.

Resources & Links:

• Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com.
• Review the raw Agendas & Minutes: Skamania County Meetings Portal
• Documenter notes used in this episode are available for republishing under Creative Commons license CC by 4.0. With thanks to the Columbia Gorge Documenters, powered by Uplift Local: https://upliftlocal.news/columbia-gorge/columbia-gorge-documenters/

Stay Connected with the Gorge

The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler are community-led projects of OpenGorge.org.

To stay updated on local news, governance, and community events across the region, you can sign up for both newsletters at SkamaniaDispatch.com. For real-time updates and to join the conversation, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/OpenGorge.