The Hood River City Council approved getting an estimate on what it would cost to extend sewer service to a municipally owned 2.35 acre parcel known as Lot 600 north of Interstate 84 on Westcliff Drive to develop affordable or mixed development housing. The question is whether Lot 600 is a part of Morrison Park, which based on City records is unclear, even though the property is zoned in the Comprehensive Plan for residential use. If it is a part of the park, that would require a public vote to develop, based on a charter amendment approved by voters in the aftermath of attempts to zone Morrison Park Lot 700 for housing a few years ago requiring it for any change in how designated park land is used. Urban Renewal Administrator Will Norris told the Council the sewer estimate will dictate whether it’s worth moving toward a vote. Councilor Doug Stepina termed researching the sewer cost as part of due diligence. The cost of the sewer estimate is $20,594.
Author: mbailey
Wasco County Putting Wolf Depredation Committee Back Together
Wasco County is reassembling its wolf depredation committee. That was one of the goals of County Commissioner Jeff Justesen when he took his position a little over a year ago. Justesen says three committee members were approved at the most recent Commission meeting, with another three still to come. He adds they need to get their funding request into the state by the end of the month. There is a proposal to add 1.25% to the state lodging tax for funding wildlife programs before the Legislature this session. That would include wolf depredation funds, but Justesen notes the bill faces an uncertain future with significant opposition.
HR County Seeks State Money For Courthouse Repair
Hood River County is seeking some state funding during the current legislative session to do needed repairs to the County Courthouse. County Administrator Allison Williams says they are seeking $1.5 million for the work, which will include repairing a leaking roof, parking lot improvements, and security measures. Oregon 52nd District State Representative Jeff Helfrich has submitted the request to get funds through the omnibus bill on the County’s behalf, and Williams says County officials will testify at a legislative hearing on Friday. Williams says this is just for basic repairs that are desperately needed, and there are many of other needs for the facility. The County has studied replacement of the Courthouse, but the cost has been found to be prohibitive.
February 9 Prep Basketball Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
LaSalle 57, Hood River Valley 46: The Falcons grabbed the lead with a 13-point run in the first quarter, and never relinquished it. Rigdhan Khyungra scored 23 points for LaSalle, and Grant Dunn led Hood River with 16.
Girls Basketball
LaSalle 58, Hood River Valley 35
The Dalles 46, Gladstone 18
Washington Special Districts Election Ballot Deadline Tuesday
Ballots in Washington’s special districts election, filled with money measures, are due back in designated drop boxes by 8 p.m. Tuesday evening or must be postmarked by Tuesday.
In Klickitat County, the ballot is highlighted by the White Salmon Valley School District seeking a 20-year, $78 million bond measure to create a K-12 campus at the current middle and high school location, and replace the aging Whitson Elementary School.
In addition, the district is also looking for renewal of its Educational Programs and Operations Levy for three years.
School districts in Trout Lake, Lyle, Glenwood, Klickitat, and Centerville all have levy renewals on the ballot, with the Trout Lake School District also seeking a small three-year capital improvement levy for playground improvements.
There is also a maintenance and operations levy for the West Klickitat County Cemetery to be decided.
In Skamania County, the Stevenson-Carson School District is asking for a replacement three-year enrichment levy, with estimated property tax impacts going from $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed value in the first year to $1.18 in the final year.
Skamania School District 2 is seeking a three-year replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy.
Port Of The Dalles Gets Grant For Designs Ideas For Former Rodeo Property
The Port of The Dalles has received a planning and marketing grant from Business Oregon to come up with a couple of design options for the former rodeo grounds and a few surrounding parcels.
Port Executive Director Andrea Klaas says those lands are challenging to develop because there are both wetlands and hard basalt rock in the area.
The Port Commission will decide at its meeting this month whether to approve moving forward with the study.
Klaas added this will be a subject for The Dalles Community Outreach Team when it makes its March visit to Washington, D.C. to talk with various representatives and agencies.
February 6-7 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Basketball
Hood River Valley 67, Hillsboro 59
Columbia 58, Seton Catholic 52: The Bruins move on to host Rochester in a Southwest Washington District Tournament play-in game on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
South Wasco 64, Dufur 45
South Wasco 73, Horizon Christian 32
Dufur 61, Klickitat-Glenwood 54
Klickitat-Glenwood 66, Trout Lake 22
Echo 72, Trout Lake 48
Sherman 56, Lyle-Wishram 42
Sherman 66, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 40
Girls Basketball
Hood River Valley 45, Hillsboro 36
Seton Catholic 38, Columbia 21
Dufur 57, South Wasco 43
South Wasco 51, Horizon Christian 16
Trout Lake 53, The Dalles JV 27
Sherman 55, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 24
Echo 63, Trout Lake 29
Girls Wrestling
Hood River Valley’s Ayleen Marquez won the 110 pound division at the Northwest Oregon Conference Girls Wrestling Championships. Marquez recorded two falls, then won the championship match over Kinley Walters of Canby by injury default 2:50 into the match. Asai Akhmedova, Xiomara Gordian-Gomez, and Valeria Solorio Campos all had second place finishes for the Eagles, who were fifth in the team standings.
Stevenson’s Sophia Mahoney won the 110 pound division at the Jack Berger Invitational in Silverton, while HRV’s Xiomara Gordian-Gomez was first at 155 pounds.
Boys Wrestling
Stevenson’s Lindon Wieman placed second at 190 at the Trico League Championships in Kalama. Thorn Bliss, Benjamin Shane, and Matthew Trollier earned third place finishes for the Bulldogs, while Giovanni Ruiz and Robert Grabb IV had third place efforts for Columbia.
February 4 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Basketball
South Wasco 96, Trout Lake 36
Condon 54, Sherman 38
Girls Basketball
The Dalles 49, Pendleton 41
South Wasco 44, Trout Lake 41: The Redsides pull even with the Mustangs for second in the Big Sky League.
Sherman 45, Condon 9
Boys and Girls Wrestling
Hood River Valley 42, Putnam 33
Hood River Valley 45, Wilsonville 27: Leyton Adams, Aaron Smith, Drew Lucas, and Copeland Louis had two wins apiece for HRV.
Girls Wrestling
Centennial 54, Hood River Valley 22: Ayleen Marquez, Asai Akhmedova, Melissa Jara Vela, and Xiomara Gordian-Gomez scored wins for Hood River.
Heritage Apple Preservation Bill Passes Committee
Legislation sponsored by Washington 14th District State Rep. Gloria Mendoza to preserve Washington’s rare and historic apple varieties unanimously passed the House Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee. With Mendoza’s leadership, the committee approved substitute language for House Bill 2525, which would establish a Heritage Orchard Registry Program at Washington State University to identify and register heritage orchards across the state and maintain a list of rare and lost apple varieties. A heritage orchard is defined as an orchard with at least five apple trees more than 74 years old, or one containing at least a single tree of a rare or lost apple variety. The substitute also directs WSU to adopt rules to implement the program. The bill is now expected to be referred to the House Appropriations Committee for funding.
Waters Introduces Fuel Break Agreement Bill
Washington 17th District State Representative Kevin Waters has introduced a bill to authorize counties to enter into shared stewardship agreements with federal land management agencies to maintain and manage fuel breaks on federally owned lands within one mile of roads. The Skamania County Republican says under the bill, counties would be able to retain proceeds from timber sales resulting from fuel reduction and forest health work performed under the agreements. Waters does not think the bill will make it through during the current short session, but expects it can in 2027. He notes that the bill is receiving supporting from both sides of the aisle.