“Where the Rain and Sunshine Meet”

Issue 1:2008 __________ January--March_2008 Written by: Lyle Community Volunteers Lyle’s Website: community.gorge.net/lyle

Lyle High School: One of the Top Schools

in the Nation In a recent edition of US News and World Report, Lyle High School was listed as a bronze award winner in the "Best High Schools 2008 Search". More than 18,000 public high schools were evaluated to find the very best across the country. The top 1086 schools were placed into gold, silver or bronze medal categories. In Washington State, 43 schools were selected as the best—3 earned gold, 8 silver and 32 bronze. Congratulations to all of the staff and students for this tremendous honor!

The 2008 U.S. News & World Report

America's Best High Schools methodology, developed by School Evaluation Services, a

K-12 education data research business run by Standard & Poor's, is based on the key

principles that a great high school must serve all its students well, not just those who are bound for college, and that it must be

able to produce measurable academic outcomes that show the

school is successfully educating its student body across a range of performance

indicators.

School Library Open After School Deidre Duffy

Starting in January, Lyle Middle School/High School will open the library after school for the students and community at large on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-6 p.m. With community support, this could expand into a more comprehensive after school/community education program. Everyone is welcome to use the facility. If someone is interested in tutoring or volunteering to teach a class, they can contact the district office at 365-2191. This is being partially funded through a grant from the Klickitat County Health Department and the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse. If you have any questions, contact Deidre Duffy, who works for the Substance Abuse Prevention Program, at 493-1927, or Principal Phil Williams at 365-2211. In This Issue

Lyle Christmas Bird Count ----------------------------------2 Business Bio—Lyle Tap Room ----------------------------3 Christmas Caravan of Lights -------------------------------4 Comprehensive Plan Review -------------------------------5 Poetry ---------------------------------------------------------------6 Osprey Nesting Platform Installation ---------------------7 Family Movie Night Review, Spring Clean Up ---------8 Yard Sale Tips ----------------------------------------------------9 Klickitat Trail’s National Recognition -------------------10 Fire Chief Retires ----------------------------------------------10 Local Author, New Year’s Resolutions -----------------11

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What’s Up??

Lyle Lion’s Club: meeting & potluck on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. Senior Meals: Tuesdays at noon at the Lion’s Club. Alcoholics Anonymous: Fridays at 7 p.m. at the Methodist Church. Lyle Community Breakfast: 1st Saturday of the month, 7-10:30 a.m. at the Lion’s Club. Klickitat Trail Conservancy: hikes or bike trips usually on the 1st Saturday and the 3rd Sunday of the month. Spring schedule begins in March. See www.klickitat-trail.org for details. United Methodist Church: Sundays- 10:30a.m. Lyle Celebration Center: 10:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays School Board Meetings: next to the last Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the High School Lyle Grange: meeting & potluck on 2nd Saturday of the month at 12:30 p.m. Lyle Community Council: 4th Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Lion’s Club Lyle Fire Department: business meeting open to the public on the 4th Thursday of the month at 8 p.m.

Lyle Christmas Bird Count Bob Hansen

The 11th annual Lyle Christmas Bird Count was held Sunday, December 16, 2007. A glimpse of the results thus far, with 9 of the 12 sectors reporting includes:

• 103 bird species were observed (one short of an all time high)

• Over 40 field participants and 10 feeder watchers participated—the largest turnout for Lyle’s Christmas Bird Count to date

• First time species include a Harris's Sparrow spotted by Jason Ocker and Marcia Buser of Lyle, at Spearfish Lake.

• Other unusual birds include Anna's Hummingbirds, 3 Red-necked Grebes and more than 25 Bald Eagles.

• More than 13,000 American Coots were seen in the Mayer State Park area, just across the river from Lyle. (No, that’s not a typo! Those are usual numbers.)

A final report will be published in the next Lyle community newsletter. We are always in need of additional feeder watchers and participants, so consider participating next year, the first Sunday following the 14th of December. Just call Bob Hansen at (509)637.2736 or e-mail him at bobhansen@gorge.net to get on the notification list for this and other bird counts in Klickitat County.

BUSINESS BIO

LYLE TAP ROOM Bob and Sue Dornbusch opened the Wildwood Tavern in August of 2000. The first project on the agenda was remodeling the men’s room. This upset a lot of the old-timers, as they removed the original antique urinal, which is now a flower planter. On opening night, they racked up a whopping $13.00. Since then, the till has seen better counts. Before too long, the name was changed back to one more recognizable – the Lyle Tap Room. In 2006, they remodeled the two bars and can now boast that they have the longest bar in Lyle with 9 tap beers, including 5 microbrews. They have a good-sized menu and have specials from time to time. Lyle Tap Room is a smoke free establishment. There is a year round beer garden with a covered gazebo for smoking outdoors, and in the summer time, you can find live music playing outside on occasion. They sport two pool tables and have Men’s and Women’s pool leagues, Mondays and Tuesdays in the wintertime. Specials will be available on Valentines and St. Patrick’s Day. Watch for live music announcements and Karaoke nights. Hours are from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. or later, depending on crowds. They are closed on Wednesdays and some holidays. Lyle Tap Room is located on the corner of 6th Street and State Street (Highway 14) in downtown Lyle. You can contact Bob and Sue at 509-365-3226.

Caravan of Christmas Lights

Mildred E. Lykens

The evening of Saturday, December 22nd was cold and clear—the perfect night to check out Christmas lights and chat with Santa. The Lyle Community Council served hot chocolate and candy canes to over fifty children and their parents who braved the cold, as the temperature dropped to near freezing. They came to witness the caravan of thirteen lit up fire trucks and EMT rigs from all over the county.

The vehicles were decorated with Christmas lights as they made their way through Lyle to the waiting children at Lyle Park Place. The expectation could be seen on the faces of children of all ages as they heard the sound of the first siren, which marked the coming of Santa Claus and his Caravan of Lights

This is the third year that Santa and his

Caravan have delighted both young and old, with each year growing both in the numbers of children waiting to see Santa, and participating fire departments. This year, participants came from Appleton, Dallesport, Lyle, High Prairie, Wishram, Bingen, Husum and Trout Lake.

Everyone enjoyed Santa’s visit, the good cheer, the Christmas spirit and the hot chocolate—it brought to mind that famous poem that ends with "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!"

Comp Plan Review

Scott Putnam The Lyle Community Council intends to update the community’s Comprehensive Plan this year and will be soliciting citizen input with a series of meetings and questionnaires. The Comprehensive Plan is a detailed document on the community of Lyle, as defined by the boundaries of the fire district. The Plan provides a descriptive portrait of the current community and a consensus view on future plans for resolving infrastructure issues, growth, and improving the quality of life within Lyle. The Plan will focus on a long-term view of 10-20 years. The Community Council has organized four focus groups outside the Community Council to gather community input and make formal reports to the Community Council at its monthly meetings. The topics for each focus group are listed below, however if there are other issues identified during the process, they will be added.

Economic Development and Employment

• Cottage industries, self-employed • Inventory of office and retail space • Tourism, waterfront, windsurfing,

kiteboarding • Wine industry, restaurants, and

accommodations Beautification and Recreation

• Recreation facilities: trails, campgrounds

• Boat ramp • Curb appeal • Klickitat Spit/Sandbar

Infrastructure

• P.U.D., inventory of services • School District • Sidewalk and other possible

community developments

Zoning

• Commercial zoning inside urban boundary

• Residential zoning both in and outside urban boundary

• Elevation, density, affordable housing, etc.

• Investigate cottage industry zoning • Lyle Point • Status of urban boundary

Each focus group will have open public meetings and research issues with the appropriate agencies. Below is a timetable for the Community Council meetings and when the focus groups will provide their information in a formal setting. Citizen involvement with one or more focus groups before that time is very important; please let your thoughts and ideas be known in regards to the issues that interest and/or impact you. The meetings are open to all. Please contact Scott Putnam at (541)490-0259 for more information and check message boards for meeting times. Although the Community Council has the responsibility for the content and assembly of the final Comprehensive Plan document, is actively soliciting citizen input to insure that the updated Plan accurately reflects community consensus. Timeline: Lyle Community Council Meetings are on the fourth Monday of each month, 7pm at the Lion’s Club: April 28th: Final Infrastructure report, Preliminary report on Zoning May 26th: Preliminary reports, Economic Development and Beautification June 23rd: Final Report from Zoning focus group July 28th: Final Report from Economic Development focus group Aug 25th: Final Report from Beautification/Recreation focus group Sep 22nd: Discussion Oct 27th: Discussion Nov 24th: Draft of Comp. Plan submitted to Council.

The Gift of Song Mildred E. Lykens

God's gifts can be so clear, With each person's voice unique. Some so coarse that to the ear Should only be allowed to speak. With solo voices belted strong When mellow would be best Yet others lift their gift in song, To entertain the rest. A harmonizing pair is a duet, And most pleasant to the ear. But adding two makes a quartet That some would rather hear. Music adds a quality That some think is just right. But take away the melody And senses still delight. In a-cappella there is found No need of instrument To create the melody and sound For the message to be vent.

Most quartets have not known favor, Only a few have crossed the bridge. Such as the Brothers called Statler And those great Boys from Oakridge. Some have made their choices And sing across the land Not using just their voices, But backed up by their band. A-cappella is a talent rare, Where few quartets have chose To blend their voices and to share The music and the prose. No string, no horn, no drum no key, No orchestra or band Can match the voice’s harmony That makes the sound so grand. So sing on Barber Shop Quartet, And you Sweet Adeline. For while you sing to your hearts content, You bring content to mine.

Osprey Platform Installation Bob Hansen, Lorie Hull, Glenda Lovejoy

Early in December, you may have noticed that Klickitat PUD was doing some work on the power pole west of the Lyle tunnels. There was no power outage to take care of, and there wasn’t any equipment that needed repair or replacing—they were installing a platform for an osprey nest.

The story starts back in April, 2007. The installation of an osprey nest platform up near the school’s football field disturbed a pair of ospreys and they moved their nest building efforts to the power pole west of the Lyle tunnels. The nest building, breeding, and hatching process was going smoothly until a late July rain storm. The wet nest sticks and run off resulted in a short and loss of power to many parts of the Lyle community for several hours.

In order to prevent a similar power outage experience, KPUD removed the nest on July 31st, before the young hatchlings had fledged. This raised the ire of concerned citizens, as ospreys return to the same nesting site every year and this pair had now been disturbed twice. Work toward developing permanent solution started. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the US Department of Fish and Wildlife, KPUD and volunteers worked together to develop a plan to place nesting platforms on all KPUD power poles that ospreys use for nesting sites.

Nancy Mains and Kip Graves, KPUD

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife provided the funds to buy the materials, and Laurie Wilhite's Goldendale High School class built three osprey nest platforms. In early December, KPUD installed the platform on the power pole west of the tunnel, and restored the loose pile of sticks for nest building on the platform. Now, it’s just watching and waiting for the pair to return in the spring—hopefully they will find their new home to their liking.

Family Movie Night Review Joy Collins

Spiderman 3 and Santa Clause 3 were the Free Family Movies for October and December; we didn’t show a movie in November.

* * * Spiderman 3 was a little hard for me to follow and harder yet to review. It was dark and damp and loud, with lots of explosions and a sparse story line. Tobey Maguire plays Peter Parker and Spiderman, the main characters. The movie starts with a meteor landing on the George Washington Bridge and when it hits, Peter is on his way to Mary Jane’s (Kirsten Dunst). He becomes Spiderman and saves most of the people in danger. He changes back to Peter and starts again for Mary Jane’s. He did not know that while he was saving people, the Symbiote, a black, tar-like mess, got into his shoe. After an evening with Mary Jane, he returns to his apartment, is very tired, doesn’t remove his suit, and goes to bed. The Symbiote crawls out of his shoe and onto his suit and Peter wakes up covered with this black, tar-like substance. He manages to get it off him and goes to the Daily Bugle with the pictures he took of the meteor. He sees a lady named Gwen and he falls in love with her. His friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) is also in love with Gwen. He starts going out with Mary Jane to hurt Peter. Thomas Haden Church plays the parts of Flint Marko and Sandman, who appears and disappears at the will and whim

of the wind or as need be. I will give this movie a rating of 4 because I think that the kids liked it pretty well. I personally thought they should have quit after Spiderman 1.

* * *

Santa Clause 3 was a cute movie and I did enjoy this one simply because it is a Christmas story that included all the bells and whistles. Holiday magic is mixed with comical chaos at the North Pole. In Santa Clause 3, Tim Allen reprises his role of Scott Calvin, AKA Santa, as he juggles a full house of family and the mischievous Jack Frost (Martin Short). Jack is trying to take over the “big guy’s” holiday. At the risk of giving away the secret location of the North Pole, Scott invites his in-laws (Ann-Margaret and Alan Arkin) to share in the holiday festivities, and upcoming birth of baby Claus with expectant wife Carol, AKA Mrs. Claus (Elizabeth Mitchell). Along for the adventure is Scott’s extended family: son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), ex-wife Laura Miller (Wendy Crewson), her husband Neil Miller (Judge Reinhold), and their daughter, Lucy (Lillana Mumy). They, together with head elf Curtis (Spencer Breslin), foil Jack Frost’s crafty scheme to control the North Pole. This great cast deserves an 8.

Annual Spring Clean Up Now that the holidays are behind us, it won’t be long before it’s time to think about picking up and sorting and getting ready for Lyle’s Annual Spring Clean Up. Mark your calendars—Friday and Saturday, April 11th and 12th is the date, and the school bus yard on Highway 14 is the place. Watch the local bulletin boards for more information around mid-March.

National Recognition for Klickitat Trail

Donna Enz In November 2007, the Klickitat Trail was recognized by the National Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as their trail of the month. Since 1986, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has had a hand in creating 13,935 miles of rail-trails nationwide. The Klickitat Trail is one of them. There are 100,000 members and supporters nationally. The article highlighting the Klickitat Trail can be found on National Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website at www.railtrails.org. The Klickitat Trail was also featured in a recent issue of Washington Trails Association’s magazine. The author, Susan Saul, is on the advisory board for WTA. She hiked the Klickitat Trail in October on a scheduled anniversary hike. Local support and volunteer work has helped the Klickitat Trail Conservancy (KTC) make the Klickitat Trail one of the premiere trails in Southern Washington. For information and dates of scheduled hikes, go to the KTC website: www.klickitat-trail.org.

Fire Chief Retires Glenda Lovejoy

After more than 25 years of service, Lyle Volunteer Fire Department’s Chief Wayne Trosper is hanging up his helmet and turning in his pager. He’s stepping down to take a well-deserved break, and to spend time enjoying his family and do some traveling. Chief Trosper started his fire fighting career volunteering for Bingen, where he earned the rank of captain before he came to Lyle. He retires January 15th, having been Chief in Lyle for 7 years. Although he leaves some very big boots to fill, we wish him well. His leadership and dedication to the community and to the volunteers will be sorely missed. A retirement party is in the planning stages. Invitations will be posted in all the usual places around town.

TIPS FOR A FUN AND PROFITABLE YARD OR GARAGE SALE

Reprinted from Garage Sale America by Bruce Littlefield, and supplemented by Joy Collins It can be called anything you want to call it: Garage Sale, Yard Sale, Tag Sale, Barn Sale, Rummage Sale, or Stoop Sale. Ours happens to be “The Annual 13 + Miles of Yard Sales.” It covers 152 miles in Klickitat County and will be held again in June. Following are some tips on how to present your treasures to the public in a way that will get them to stop at your sale, browse, and maybe find something they want to buy. 152 miles is a lot of territory to cover in two days. Most people are looking for particular items and will scan your sale and move on to the next one if they don’t see anything that warrants a closer look. Proven tips to attract buyers to your sale:

• Arrows and directions should be clear, bright, easy to read and accurate.

• Greeting people is common courtesy. • Bring cash. Have change. • A clean item sells for more than a

dirty one. • Wash and hang clothes if you want to

sell them. Don’t pile them on the lawn or a table.

• Honesty is the best policy. If you know it doesn’t work, say so

• Don’t steal. • Don’t say it is real when you know it

is not. • Dangerous things should be labeled as

such and kept out of reach of children. • Obey the law.

• Price your items fairly and be ready to

negotiate. • Realize that you are getting rid of

things you don’t want and price accordingly.

• Set up items like you’re a store. People need to see items to buy them.

• Have a tape measure and electric outlet available. People like to measure and check working condition.

• Provide bags. • If you have any other tips that work

for you, pass them on to others. At the nest year’s Community Sale, returning visitors will remember that you had a good sale and look for you.

Page 134 of Garage Sale America describes the 13 MILES OF YARD SALE EXTRAVAGANZA [the original title] as follows: “This sale, established in 2003, spans more than seventy miles through southern Washington State from Lyle to Klickitat and Goldendale on State Route 142, to Wishram on U.S. 97, on State Route 14, and back to Lyle on 14 with offshoots at Dallesport. The name comes from the distance between Lyle and Klickitat (the first sale’s distance). Lyle is renowned for being one of the best areas in the United States for windsurfing, fishing, hiking, and boating. It’s one of the smallest towns in America, with the following population (as of 2000): 530 (males: 265, females: 265).”

Local Writer Publishes First Book

Mildred Lykens has published her first novel—The Tirrell Gang. The story is a Western family saga based on the true story of Mildred’s three paternal grandparents. Documented facts, family oral histories and logical fiction are braided much the same as these three ancestor's lives to weave the tale. It is a "first in a series" novel of Hasten Homer Tirrell, his wife Mary and her best friend Lillie.

Mildred E. Lykens

Lillie was one source of the family’s history. She told of the days when Hasten led a gang of very young outlaws that consisted of his brothers, who had been "chased out of three states—finally settling in Texas", and two neighboring families. There in Texas, Lillie hid the gang at her ranch until the posses gave up and it was safe for the boys to return home. Family circumstances lead to an explosive fight which divulged deception, betrayal and eventually pitted father against son, leading to a confrontation with a shotgun, kidnapping and the gang's final split. Hasten made a hasty decision that fulfilled Lillie's hopes and dreams but left them on the run from family, the law, and a relentless private detective.

Goldendale's past Mayor Mark Sigfrinius critiqued "I though it was a very good read. I want to congratulate you on your publication and hope that you continue to write. Good job." The book is now available in a few stores locally or as a "print on demand" at www.Lulu.com. Or, if you want an autographed copy, call Mildred at 509-365-0060.

New Year’s Resolutions Glenda Lovejoy

I spent some time the other day using Google to research New Year’s Resolutions. The most common ones appear to be:

• Lose Weight • Pay Off Debt • Save Money • Get a Better Job • Get Fit • Eat Right • Get a Better Education • Drink Less Alcohol • Quit Smoking • Reduce Stress • Take a Trip • Volunteer to Help Others • Spend More Time With Family • Keep in Touch With Friends

It’s estimated that 40 to 45% of American adults make New Year’s Resolutions, and by the end of June, half the people who made them have given up. That also means that a good many of those who made them have managed to keep them. So here’s to the glass being half full instead of half empty, baby steps, one day at a time, not being too hard on yourself, having friends to talk to, long walks, good books, good music, sunshine, spring wildflowers and all the other wonderful things that make the world go round. Happy New Year!

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