Work continues to develop fourteen single-family homes on seven acres in Carson near Wind River Middle School. Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation owns the land and created the Carson Community Land Trust to build the homes which will be sold to first-time homebuyers earning at or below 80% of Skamania County’s Area Median Income. CCHC Housing Resource Center Manager Liz Wilber says under the land trust model, the buyer purchases the home while the trust retains ownership of the property to keep the homes affordable. Wilber says they have already received 70 inquiries about the houses and have two sources of funding from the Washington Department of Commerce, and they have a goal of starting to sell homes a year from now. Details are available at carsoncommunitylandtrust.com.
Prep Football Officials Needed
The Mid-Columbia Football Officials Association is looking for more people to help staff middle and high school games this fall. There continues to be a need for officials in all kinds of youth sports. The MCFOA’s Robert Jamack says they are short in numbers. He says becoming an official is a great way to stay involved in sports, help support young people, make some money, and enjoy the camaraderie with other officials. The association is holding its first meeting this evening (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. at Spooky’s in The Dalles, and newcomers are welcome. You can also get information on how to get involved in officiating any high school sport at osaa.org.
Little Buck Fire Control Lines Hold, Containment 50%
Control lines on the Little Buck Fire about six miles northeast of Shaniko have held despite several days of windy conditions. The 36,025 acre fire now has a containment figure of 50%. On Tuesday, fire personnel extinguished more heat along the lines constructed to stop the fire’s run on Saturday. In some areas with more vegetation, line construction with dozers and other heavy equipment created piles of juniper, sage and other woody debris. Fire burned under the piles, requiring skidgines, engines and hand crews to coordinate pulling apart the piles to extinguish buried heat. Firefighters continue to locate and cool buried heat near the edges of the fire. The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office has reduced several evacuation levels. Shaniko, Highway 97 from Shaniko to the Sherman County line, Antelope, Bennett Road, Young Life, and Clarno have been lowered from Level 3 “Go Now” to Level 2 “Be Set.” The area from Upper Tubs Road to Cold Camp Road has also been reduced from Level 2 to Level 1 “Get Ready.”
Grasshopper Fire At 18,136 Acres
Officials on the Grasshopper Fire in Wasco County in the Mount Hood National Forest say firefighters held the existing line that protects Pine Hollow and Sportsman Park in spite of significant winds on Tuesday, even though it did spread northward to Jordan Butte, with acreage now at 18,136. There remains no containment figure. On Wednesday, firefighters will continue to complete line on Forest Road 27, working to pinch off the eastern flank of the fire. The completed line along the south side of the fire will begin mop up. Additional scouting for fire line location in the vicinity of Forest Road 2730 is underway. The Emergency Conflagration Act was invoked Wednesday afternoon for the fire. The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing an incident management team and assigning task forces to protect nearby communities and critical infrastructure. California Interagency Incident Management Team 6 assumed command of the fire Wednesday morning. Level 3, or “Go Now,” evacuations remain in effect for Sportsman Park, Pine Hollow, Wamic, and the Grasshopper Advisory Zone in the Mount Hood National Forest. Level 2 “Get Set” evacuations remain in place for Smock Road, White River Crossing, Badger Creek, Shadybrook Road, Shell Rock, Fifteenmile Creek and Tygh Valley. Sportsman’s Paradise, Camp Baldwin, and Rail Hollow are on Level 1 “Be Ready.”
The Dalles Council Approves Latest Archaeology Amendment
The Dalles City Council has approved a fifth contract amendment with Archaeological Investigations Northwest for the First Street Streetscape project.
The nearly $147,000 amendment will pay for documentation and monitoring of previously unidentified archaeological features uncovered during excavation for a new retaining wall. Community Development Director Joshua Chandler told councilors most of the planned excavation has now been completed, reducing the likelihood of additional discoveries.
The Oregon Regional Solutions program helped secure expedited permits through the State Historic Preservation Office and reduce some project costs. Even so, archaeological expenses for the project have now more than doubled. Officials say details about the discoveries are being withheld to discourage artifact theft.
Hood River City Council Approves Ballot Titles
The Hood River City Council has approved ballot titles for two separate bond measures that will go before voters. One would fund renovations to the city’s police station, while the other would help finance housing projects serving households earning up to 120 percent of the area median income.
The council voted earlier this month to split the proposals into separate measures rather than combining them into one.
Each bond measure would authorize up to $8.7 million in borrowing. The police station bond would cost property owners an estimated 34 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, while the housing bond would cost an estimated 39 cents per $1,000.
City Urban Renewal Administrator Will Norris said the difference is due to Internal Revenue Service rules governing tax-exempt public infrastructure projects versus taxable projects.
The council unanimously approved moving both measures to the ballot.
Federal Street Plaza construction continues
Construction continues on The Dalles’ Federal Street Plaza, with city leaders hoping to complete the project before the end of the year.
Mayor Rich Mays says the Federal Street Plaza Ad Hoc Committee will meet next Wednesday (August 5) to review submissions for the plaza’s name after a recent public naming contest.
The committee will select three finalists for a community vote, with the winning name to be announced during the plaza’s grand opening. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at The Dalles City Hall.
Grasshopper Fire grows to more than 13,600 acres
The Grasshopper Fire in the Mount Hood National Forest has grown to 13,612 acres, according to updated infrared mapping.
Fire crews continue building containment lines while preparing contingency lines around the fire. A complex incident management team is expected to assume command of the fire.
Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders remain in effect for Sportsman Park, Pine Hollow, Wamic and the Grasshopper Advisory Zone. Level 2 evacuations remain in place for several nearby areas, including Tygh Valley.
Evacuation levels reduced on Wasco County fires
Firefighters continue making progress on the Little Buck Fire in the Haycreek Complex, which has burned more than 36,000 acres.
The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office has lowered evacuation levels for several areas, including Shaniko, Antelope and portions of Highway 97, from Level 3 to Level 2. Other areas have been reduced to Level 1 “Get Ready.”
Evacuation levels have also been eased around the 10-Mile Fire near Trout Creek, now approaching 4,900 acres, and the nearby 586 Fire, estimated at 191 acres. Officials have lifted evacuation notices in several additional areas as fire conditions improve.
Injured hiker rescued on Hamilton Mountain Trail
An injured hiker was rescued Monday morning from the Hamilton Mountain Trail in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says the hiker injured an ankle after losing footing and was unable to return to the trailhead. EMS crews hiked in to provide medical care before members of the county’s Search and Rescue Team carried the hiker out using a Stokes basket.
The hiker was taken to a medical facility for further evaluation.