Sign in Subscribe

Topic

Skamania County

A collection of 41 issues

🏔 New Year for Skamania BOCC, WSU Updates, & Dog Mountain Shuttle Uncertainty - 1/6

Skamania commissioners kicked off 2026 with routine approvals, leadership assignments, and early warning signs to watch this year, including uncertainty around Dog Mountain shuttle funding, public safety concerns, and long-term planning tied to the Gorge Management Plan 2030 Update.

📬 Letter from the Editor: On Local Journalism, Power, Tech, and What Comes Next

Why does this newsletter exist? In a time of shrinking local papers and growing news deserts, I reflect on how new tools, shared skills, and peer learning can help rural communities like ours reclaim accountability, transparency, and our right to timely local journalism.

🍝 From Short-Term Rentals to Spaghetti - Dec 2025 Skamania Cities Civic Recap

From million-dollar city reserves and farewell speeches to vacation rental rules and recreation court upgrades, December saw big moves from local leaders across Skamania. Here’s your detailed roundup from Stevenson, North Bonneville, Underwood, and the PUD.

🚤 1% Levy Vote, Winter Emergency, and Boat Launch Changes - Skamania BOCC 12/16-12/17

Skamania commissioners adopted the 2026 county budget (2–1) with a 1% levy increase, approved year-end Supplemental Budget #4, and declared a winter-storm emergency. Earlier in the week they passed a new boat launch ordinance raising fees and limiting out-of-county guide permits.

🔥 Fire Survivors Wait as Gorge Commission Debates Recovery Rules - Dec 2025

The Gorge Commission spent hours debating disaster-recovery rule changes after the Rowena and Burdoin fires. While counties and survivors urged urgent action, unresolved tribal consultation and federal approval concerns stalled a vote, leaving rebuilding timelines uncertain.

💵 County Budgets, Timber Fears & Overtime Pressures - Skamania BOCC Recap 11/25 - 12/2

Commissioners heard strong public objections to the Underwood zoning ordinance (now delayed), reviewed tight year-end revenues, and grappled with rising jail overtime, delayed state funds, and justice-system staffing strain.

🏥 Skamania Public Health Update – Vaccines & Winter Readiness, Fall 2025

Skamania’s Board of Health wrapped its final 2025 meeting with updates on flu and COVID vaccination outreach, WIC funding stability through late November, and environmental-health coordination with Clark and Klickitat counties. Planning began for a new quarterly meeting schedule in 2026.

⚡ Special Report: Klickitat County’s Solar & Battery Storage Ordinance

A major BESS and solar ordinance is nearing a vote in Klickitat County. Supporters see grid reliability and renewable-energy benefits; neighbors and tribes are raising safety, farmland, and scenic-area concerns. Here’s what’s at stake, and why Skamania should watch too.

🌉 Bridges, Budgets & Bonneville: 11/4 BOCC + PUD Recap

County and utility leaders tackled big infrastructure and energy topics this month, from new bridge and road projects to updated industrial and cannabis rates, long-term BPA power planning, and the start of 2026 budget hearings across both boards.

⚾ Let's Play Ball! Budgets, Sports Courts & Sanitation: October Skamania City Government Round-Up

From sewer bill shock in Stevenson to greenhouse gas policy in North Bonneville and grant-funded upgrades in Underwood, here’s what happened across Skamania’s city governments in October, and how neighbors are shaping what comes next.