Mid-Columbia Center For Living is working with the Oregon Health Authority to receive $11 million in funding to establish a 24-bed substance abuse treatment facility for the region. Center For Living Executive Director Al Barton says they hope to get the details worked out and agreements signed in the next couple of months. Barton said the facility would be located in The Dalles. The money comes from two recently passed bills in the Oregon Legislature designed to help fill an identified need for 2500 more substance abuse treatment beds in the state. Barton noted once the grant agreements are signed, they will be working on tight timelines to actually use the funds.
CGFG Researching USDA Marketing Order For Cherries
A Columbia Gorge Fruit Growers committee is research the potential benefits of creating a U.S. Department of Agriculture marketing order for cherries. Such an order could set fruit quality and size standards. Oregon Sweet Cherry Commission Chair Ian Chandler says the goal would be to provide better price returns for growers, and create transparency standards with a non-moving target. If the CGFG committee finds a marketing order would be beneficial, it would go to the Oregon Sweet Cherry Commission, and ultimately involve hearings and a referendum vote. Washington currently has its own sweet cherry marketing order.
TD Council Approves Change Order For First Street Project
The Dalles City Council approved a $364,223 change order for the First Street Project after finding a 100-year-old clay sewer main line near First and Court that made it impossible to place heavy machinery at the location for necessary work. Community Development Director Joshua Chandler says the location is one of the most complex in the project due to the old sewer pipe, elevated sidewalk structure, underground vault areas, and the proximity of the Baldwin Saloon. Chandler noted the line is one of the two primary sewer lines in The Dalles. Even with the added expense, the project remains $781,932 over budget. The big impact may be extending the length of the project, with the Council also approving a 73-day contract extension for project contractor Ajax Engineering, pushing the completion day to July 13, 2027.
WAGAP Food Network Faces Challenges
Washington Gorge Action Programs Food Bank Network, like most food pantries around the country, is facing challenges to keep their shelves stocked to meet demand. WAGAP Food Bank Manager Janeal Booren says her two biggest challenges are in gathering fresh produce and proteins to provide in monthly food boxes. Booren says while WAGAP still has donors in the area providing fresh produce, a change in federal funding has hurt her ability to purchase more. Booren says they like to include the fresh foods in their boxes as they tend to be healther than processed food. WAGAP is now selling tickets to its Food For All fundraiser at AniChe Cellars in Underwood on August 14. Tickets are available at wagap.org.
Market Conditions For Cherries May Be Stabilizing
Market conditions for cherries may be stabilizing as harvest continues around the Mid-Columbia. Area orchardist and Oregon Sweet Cherry Commission Chair Ian Chandler says they started well, then there was a glut that led to a downturn, but the market is turning upward again. Chandler says they are hitting the Fourth of July window with high quality fruit, even though there was some rain and wind damage in the early part of the season. Labor supply has been good this year. But the big question is whether market prices can overcome input costs that continue to increase.
Zone Change For Wasco Street Townhouses Approved
The Hood River City Council voted to approve a change in zoning from industrial to general commercial for a third-of-an-acre property on 1225 Wasco Street in conjunction with a residential development of eleven two-to-three bedroom townhouses. The property used to be home to windsurf company Northwave, but Capsule Development sought the zone change, agreeing to conditions including the property maintaining the 11-unit residential density and that it won’t include commercial uses that might negatively impact the neighborhood. Some nearby residents objected to the change for a variety of reasons, including view concerns, traffic, and the high density involved. The Council vote was 6-1 in favor of the move, with Grant Polson opposing.
Radio Amateurs of the Gorge Field Day This Weekend
Radio Amateurs of the Gorge will hold its annual Field Day this Saturday at the Westside Fire District training area on 4250 Barrett Drive in Hood River, adjacent to the Rockford Grange. The club provides communications in times of emergency, supports charitable events with radio communications, and offers workshops in amateur radio. The group’s Bill Stenson says amateur radio plays an important role in providing information during emergencies when other channels fail. The public is invited to come and learn about amateur radio and how it works. The Field Day is Saturday from noon to 9 p.m., and it is free to attend. There will also be a fire truck for the kids to check out from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
White Salmon Asks For Water Use Curtailment Wednesday
The City of White Salmon is going to perform a water system tie-in on Wednesday as part of its Transmission Main Replacement Project, and will be asking municipal water system customers to significantly reduce use while it takes place. White Salmon officials are asking residents to avoid lawn and landscape irrigation, washing vehicles, filling pools, hot tubs, or water features, power washing, and any other non-essential water use on Wednesday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Officials say maintaining adequate system pressure is critical during this work. Excessive water use could contribute to low-pressure conditions in portions of the distribution system. If system pressure falls below state regulatory requirements, the City may be required to issue a Boil Water Advisory until water quality testing confirms the system remains safe for consumption. Customers may experience temporary fluctuations in water pressure during the tie-in operation. Those with questions can contact White Salmon City Hall at 509-493-1133.
City Of Hood River Breaks With ODOT On Sidewalk Repair
The City of Hood River has decided to work on repairing the sidewalk on 13th Street going to the northwest corner of the intersection with May Street on its own rather than working with the Oregon Department of Transportation. The sidewalk is elevated with aging piers holding them up, and has been closed for a year. City Manager Abigail Elder says the piers have started to crumble, and they were working with ODOT to get repairs, but they have come to the conclusion that what the state agency wanted to do wasn’t affordable. She says the City will do mitigation work to reopen the sidewalk in time for the upcoming school year. Elder says the City will have to fully repair the sidewalk in the next five to ten years.
Truck Driver Injured In Highway 14 Accident
A truck driver was injured in a one-vehicle accident Monday morning on Highway 14 near Wishram. The Washington State Patrol reports the truck and trailer was eastbound on Highway 14 near milepost 93 at around 7:30 a.m. Monday when the driver lost control in a curve. The truck rolled and came to rest on its side on top of the guardrail, blocking the eastbound lane. The driver, a 61-year-old Waterville, Washington man, was transported to Adventist Health Columbia Gorge in The Dalles for what the WSP said was precautionary reasons. The WSP added the driver was being cited for driving at a speed too fast for the conditions.