Hood River City Councilors received an update on the effects of the 168 hour parking limitation on municipal streets the panel passed last August. It was implemented in an attempt to deal with complaints from residents in some locations seeing a vehicle parked near their home for long periods of time without moving. City Parking Enforcement Officer Jennifer Kendall told the Council their first goal when receiving a complaint or noticing a vehicle remaining in one location has been education. She adds very few have reached a point where they are cited. Community Service Officer Marty Morgan noted they have to go through a state-required process to tow a vehicle, so the effective time to move a vehicle is longer than 168 hours.
Author: mbailey
Wasco County Burn Ban To Be Lifted Saturday
With cool wet weather in the forecast, Wasco County fire districts and the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District will lift the seasonal burn ban on Saturday. This will allow for burning in barrels and of small debris piles. Larger slash pile burning is not included in this lifting of the ban. Escaped debris burns remain a leading cause of destructive fires on private and public lands. ODF Fire Managers and Wasco County Fire Chiefs remind residents that they need to read the burn permit issued to them to ensure that burning is allowed on a given day, and to follow all instructions after obtaining any necessary permits. Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, through grant funding from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office, is funding free yard debris disposal at The Dalles Disposal Transfer Station for residents of the district on the next five Saturdays. Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Bob Palmer is encouraging residents to choose this option rather than burning, adding it only takes a little wind and an ember to start a catastrophic fire regardless moderated weather conditions.
TDPD & D21 Investigate Reports Of “Concerning Behavior”; No Threat Found
Administrators at The Dalles High School and law enforcement investigated reports from several students of concerning behavior by another student on Wednesday. Statements by both North Wasco County School District 21 and The Dalles Police Department said an investigation determined the claims were unfounded, and there was no threat to any D-21 school. Both D-21 and police added the student and their family was fully cooperative throughout the process. The Dalles Police said school officials followed protocols, and officers were present at the school Thursday morning. TDPD added in its statement that information and rumors that circulate around the community are often inaccurate, and noted there were many inaccurate statements online regarding this incident.
Top of the World Fire Suppression Efforts Continue
Suppression efforts continued on the Top of the World Fire on Forest Service land west of the Catherine Creek recreation area in the National Scenic Area between Bingen and Lyle. Forest Service officials say the fire’s forward progress was stopped Tuesday morning. Firefighters worked on Wednesday to reinforce containment lines, as crews focused on extinguishing hot spots closest to the fire perimeter. Firefighters were able to walk the perimeter of the fire and more accurately map the fire footprint at 170 acres. The fire started Monday from a planned prescribed burn. Following a shift in wind direction and an increase in wind gusts the fire spotted outside the burn area. The public is asked to avoid the area surrounding the popular Coyote Wall and Catherine Creek trail systems as firefighters are actively working in the area.
Dog River Pipeline Project Receives State Award
Oregon’s State Land Board honored the City of The Dalles for its Dog River Pipeline project as a contribution to thriving Oregon waterways, wetlands, and lands. The project received the Stream Award. It replaced the 112-year-old wooden pipeline that supplied more than half of the City of The Dalles annual water supply, and in the process ensured fish passage and aquatic habitat despite site challenges, resulting in installation of an aquatic species passageway, removing two barriers to fish passage upstream, and employing an innovative solution for fish screening. Beyond care for aquatic species, the project also restored a historic cabin and built a new trailhead for the mountain bike community. It will also provide water to the City of The dalles for the next century. Jacobs Engineering Group designed the project and managed construction. The project team also included AKS Engineering & Forestry, Consor, Weekly Bros. Construction, Every Idea Marketing, Wyeast Timber Services, Bounds Excavation, K&E Excavating, and Tapani, Inc.
October 16 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Cross Country
Hood River Valley’s boys finished first while the Eagle girls were second to Putnam in a four-school Northwest Oregon Conference meet at HRV. Logan King and Victor Coffman finished one-two as the Eagles took five of the top nine places in the boys’ race. Isabella Perez led the HRV girls with a sixth place finish.
The Dalles’ girls was victorious while the boys were second to Crook County at the Estacada Invitational. Alana Casady led the Riverhawk girls with a third place finish, while Tyson Long paced The Dalles’ boys with a seventh place effort.
Columbia’s girls were second and boys third in a seven-school meet at Castle Rock. Lilah Zimmerman finished third for the Bruins in the girls’ race, and Noah Slayton was fourth in the boys’ run.
Stevenson won the girls’ team competition while the Bulldog boys were third in a six-school run at King’s Way Christian. Daisy Jones, Ruby Langer, and A’Layjha Johnson finished 1-2-3 for the Bulldog girls. Colton Hollis was fifth for the Stevenson boys.
Top of the World Fire Now 240 Acres
Size of the Top of the World Fire on Forest Service land between Bingen and Lyle is now at an estimated 240 acres. Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area officials say firefighters on Monday were able to get a line around most of the fire perimeter, and were continuing to do so today under the rim nearest Catherine Creek. Fire activity was moderated by cooler weather overnight. The public is being asked to avoid the area surrounding the Coyote Wall and Catherine Creek trail systems. Smoke will remain visible from Highway 14 and Interstate 84. Firefighters responded on Monday afternoon to what was a prescribed burn to reduce hazardous fuels after strong winds arrived in the area. NSA officials say no structures were threatened.
TD Council Sends STR Ordinance Back To Staff With Changes
The Dalles City Council is sending a proposed short-term rental ordinance back to staff for changes after lengthy discussions Monday night. Councilors asked municipal staff to make revisions that include a 500-foot buffer between STR’s instead of a proposed 300, a similar change to the area to notify neighbors of the presence of an STR, an amortization period for the new regulations for existing STR’s, and adjusting the procedure to report violations. Mayor Rich Mays suggested the buffers should be larger, perhaps up to 1,000 feet. The Council once again took testimony from those who live in West Scenic Drive area, where a number of homes have been purchased by an out-of-town company and are being used as short-term rentals. The residents complain of large groups, noise late at night, trespassing, parking and traffic issues, and other problems. There is currently a moratorium on new short-term rental licenses that expires near the conclusion of November. A revised proposal will be discussed at the November 25 City Council meeting, one day before moratorium expires.
HR School Board Discusses Athletic Program
The Hood River County School District Board spent an over two-hour worksession discussing the district’s athletic program. Superintendent Bill Newton says with a fairly new athletic director in Sean Mailey now in place, it was time to do a deeper dive into issues ranging from facilities to participation rates. Newton points out the goal of the district’s athletic program is to provide connection and engagement to the student. He adds the concept of a student-athlete is very important, invested not only in their sport but also excelling in the classroom. Facilities were a key part of the discussion, with Newton pointing out there is an athletic facilities master plan developed in 2016 available as a guide.
Skamania County Sees Five Search and Rescue Missions In Eight Days
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says it responded to five Search and Rescue missions between October 2nd and October 10th. It started October 2nd, when two mountain bikers were reported overdue from a trip on the Ape Canyon trail, near Mount Saint Helens, and were located the next day and assisted back to their vehicle. On October 3rd, received a medical call for a subject along the Wind River at the “Hot Holes.” That person was carried out of the location and transported, via Lifelight, to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, where he later succumbed to the medical event. On October 6th, two climbers descending Mount Saint Helens called for help after going off-trail in darkness, but volunteers from the Volcano Rescue Team located the climbers and were able to assist them off the mountain and back to their vehicle. Finally on Thursday, the Sheriff’s Office received two reports of overdue subjects: a pair of hikers in the Trapper Creek Wilderness and two climbers on Mt. Hood. One of the hikers was found the next day and had to be carried out, while one self-extricated, while the climbers were assisted back to their vehicle.