Open Gorge: The Skamania Dispatch & Klickitattler

Welcome to Open Gorge, your audio bridge to local government, infrastructure, and community news in the Columbia River Gorge. Hosted by the founder of Open Gorge, Kate Bertash, this podcast brings the in-depth, civic-minded reporting of The Skamania Dispatch and The Klickitattler newsletters straight to your headphones. We break down the public meetings you didn't have time to attend, track local infrastructure projects, and decode the regional policy decisions that directly impact your daily life. Whether you are a Columbia Gorge resident commuting across the river, following local elections, or tracking where your tax dollars are going, we provide clear, factual summaries of what’s changing and what’s coming next. Our unified feed covers the entire Gorge. Check the title of each episode to see if we are covering Skamania County, Klickitat County, or regional issues that impact us all. Listen to what matters most

Open Gorge: The Skamania Dispatch & Klickitattler is a news podcast hosted by Kate, with 78 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Kate hosts Open Gorge: The Skamania Dispatch & Klickitattler, a news show with 78 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #81

  [Skamania] Rezone Denied, Water Running Short - Stevenson Sept '26 Round-up

  Oct 2, 20269 minS1

  Stevenson's City Council turned down the Attwell Road rezone its Planning Commission had recommended. Nobody spoke in favor, and the owners never came. Plus a plan to share planners with Skamania County and North Bonneville, a water system with about 40 hookups left, and a pump that didn't start. In This Episode Cabinet of curiosities: the man with the lantern The Attwell Road rezone, from recommendation to denial A staff correction on the environmental review Sharing planners with the county and North Bonneville City administrator interviews The EDC contract and its three-number typo The pump station overflow A water hookup outside city limits, and 40 left inside Backwoods Brewing moves to a state permit Cascade transmission, from the siting council Resources & Links Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com The man with the lantern, from the Columbia Gorge Museum: https://www.columbiagorge.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Wills_Peter_Samuel_Corwine.pdf Our August Stevenson round-up: https://skamania-dispatch.ghost.io/who-actually-plans-stevenson-august-26-round-up/ Stevenson agendas, packets and video: https://www.ci.stevenson.wa.us/meetings The Sept. 17 council video: https://vimeo.com/1227930016 EFSEC's Cascade Renewable Transmission page: https://efsec.wa.gov/facilities/cascade-renewable-transmission 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 .

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  Episode #80

  [Klickitat] Failed Moratorium & Successful Appeal - White Salmon Sept '26 Round-up

  Oct 1, 202610 minS1

  White Salmon's City Council voted down the dollar store moratorium with one vote in favor, then reset its budget around a one million dollar storm grant. The Planning Commission read its code to allow two duplexes on one lot after a hearing examiner ruling, and the Tree Board started writing its own ordinance. Plus: Jewett needs nine volunteers to close for Halloween, and how to get certified as a flagger. In This Episode How the moratorium failed, and the city's two accounts of where it came from The budget amendment and the comprehensive plan cut The storm repair's three-step funding plan The house on Wauna Avenue The Westwinds sewer line question Two duplexes on one lot, and the hearing examiner ruling behind it The Tree Board and the white oak woodland puzzle Halloween closure volunteers and flagger certification Resources & Links Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com Our August White Salmon round-up: https://skamania-dispatch.ghost.io/the-dollar-store-white-salmon-august-26-round-up/ White Salmon agendas and minutes: https://www.whitesalmonwa.gov/186/Agendas-Minutes Washington's flagger card rule, WAC 296-155-305: https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=296-155-305 Flagger classes near the Gorge (Chemeketa trainer list): https://www.chemeketa.edu/programs-classes/training-certificates/customized-training/flagger-training/ Tree Board recording come from Columbia Gorge Documenters, powered by Uplift Local, used under CC BY 4.0. We cross-checked with notes by Documenter Caroline Elliott: https://upliftlocal.news/columbia-gorge/columbia-gorge-documenters/ Disclosure: the Dispatch's publisher wrote to the Planning Commission and to Council on the small-box store proposal and to the Tree Board on the tree fee, in her personal capacity, not on the Dispatch's behalf. 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 .

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  Episode #79

  [All-Gorge] ️ Uncovering an Oil Well Mystery - Special Investigation

  Sep 30, 20265 minS1

  In 1949 someone drilled for oil just west of Beacon Rock, and the state's record never says the hole was sealed. Open Gorge is using public records and 1950s aerial photos to find it, and next heading to Klickitat and Dufur. Here's how you can help. In This Episode A 1949 oil test well near Beacon Rock Why old wells matter for water and air Tracks in 1950s aerial photos 17 old test holes in the six Gorge counties Next up: Klickitat and Dufur How to share memories and records Resources & Links Read the full written Dispatch at skamaniadispatch.com The Gorge Well Record project page: https://opengorge.org/gorge-oil-well-record Become a member: https://skamania-dispatch.ghost.io/#/portal/signup Why plugging matters: Curtis Shuck on orphan wells 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 .

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  Episode #78

  [All-Gorge] On National Public Lands Day, Stand Up for Public Lands Counties

  Sep 26, 20267 minS1

  National Public Lands Day is September 26. Four days later, the law behind Secure Rural Schools, a critical lifeline for our Public Lands Counties, has been written to run out. A letter from the editor of the Skamania Dispatch on what that deadline means for public lands counties like Skamania, and one phone call anyone who loves public land can make. In This Episode National Public Lands Day and the September 30 Secure Rural Schools deadline What the 2023 lapse cost Skamania County: nineteen cents on the dollar The Levy Scissors: state tax caps and untaxable federal land The call to action: ask Congress to renew SRS, then fix it for good A habit for public-land lovers: look up the county A permanent fix: a permanent trust for public land counties Resources & Links Read the full written letter, with every source linked, at skamaniadispatch.com Find your U.S. Representative by ZIP code Find your U.S. Senators by state The Levy Scissors series Headwaters Economics: Economic Profile System (look up any county's public land) Headwaters Economics: Endowing Federal Public Land Counties 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 .

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  Episode #77

  [Skamania] ⚖️ The Delena Verdict - Skamania BOCC, PUD, and More - Sept '26

  Sep 25, 20269 minS1

  A reported verdict in the killing of Candice Malave Delena, and why the news was forced to travel by Facebook. Plus the Skamania County Board of Commissioners and Skamania PUD in September: a smaller timber check from DNR, a new PUD commissioner, and a board split over a 2% rate increase. In This Episode The Delena verdict and the news desert DNR's lower 2026 timber forecast The Roadless Rule: a resident's plea and a board letter Five closed-door personnel sessions An outside review of the Sheriff's evidence room Road 90 plowing and Drano Lake traffic Dev Bell joins the PUD board 2% or zero: the PUD's 2027 rate choice The Carson water plant, Cape Horn's transformer and a leaky Underwood tank The PUD's wildfire shutoff policy Resources & Links Read the full written Dispatch at SkamaniaDispatch.com Roadless Rule comments, open through October 6 Skamania County commissioners' agendas, minutes and audio Skamania PUD agendas and minutes Skamania PUD Wildfire Mitigation Plan Skamania County Council on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Crime Victims : 509-427-4210 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 .

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