The Central Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry officially ended fire season for all forestlands protected by the district as of Friday. This includes over 2.3 million acres of private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands, which includes Hood River, Wasco, Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Gilliam, Wheeler, Morrow, Grant, and Harney counties. ODF says this fire season statistically within the Central Oregon district was an average fire season by the numbers, but also included large fire such as the 3700-acre Rowena Fire, the Cram Fire that burned about 20,000 acres a day for a week, and the Flat Fire. With the conclusion of fire season, landowners under ODF protection may resume burning residential yard debris and using burn barrels, but that does not relieve anyone of their legal responsibility to burn safely and responsibly.
Author: mbailey
MCAREC Researching Use Of Drones In Orchards
Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center is working on a pair of projects researching the use of drones in orchards. One area involves pesticide application. Faculty Research Assistant Niall Millar says they just completed a trial of spray coverage from a drone. He says the concept is to provide improve the effectiveness of an application for the top of tree. Miller says another area being studied is using drones with a hyperspectral camera to detect X disease much earlier than can be done now.
Pink Week Planned At CHS For Skyline Breast Health Fund
Columbia High School Athletics and Associated Student Body along with the Bruin Club will once again hold Pink Week later this month to benefit the Skyline Foundation’s Breast Health Fund. The Bruin Club’s Sean Ciemiewicz says they will be using CHS athletic events from October 23 to 31 to bring more awareness of breast health, with Jill Catherine of the Skyline Foundation on site to help promote the cause. The Skyline Foundation Breast Health Fund helps provide free mammograms and diagnostic tests for those who are uninsured or under-insured and help Skyline Hospital invest in state of the art equipment. Soroptimist International of Mt. Adams will donate a portion of their concession proceeds at the October 28 CHS girls’ soccer match, while One Community Health will be involved to provide breast health education.
No Kings Protests Planned In Mid-Columbia
More than 60 “No Kings” protests are planned across Oregon Saturday as part of a national protest against what organizers call the growing authoritarianism of the current presidential administration. Locally, organizers plan rallies in downtown Hood River at the Overlook Memorial Park fountain from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in The Dalles on West 6th between Cherry Heights and Webber from noon to 2 p.m., and in White Salmon on Willow Street from noon to 2 p.m. Organizers say those leading the protests are trained in de-escalation and are working closely with local partners to ensure they are peaceful.
October 15 Prep Sports Roundup
Volleyball
Dufur def. Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 25-7, 25-14, 25-18
South Wasco def. Trout Lake-Glenwood 25-8, 25-10, 25-15
Cross Country
Hood River Valley’s Sam Knoll won the boys’ race and Savina Davis was the girls’ winner at a three-school Northwest Oregon Conference meet at Putnam. The Eagle boys finished second to Canby, while the HRV girls fielded an incomplete team.
Stevenson won both the boys and girls portions of a five-school Trico League meet at King’s Way Christian. Daisy Jones, A’Layjha Johnson, and Ruby Langer finished one-two-three in the girls’ run, while Brayden Hays was second and Colton Hollis third in the boys’ run.
Columbia finished second to LaCenter in both the boys and girls races at a five-school Trico League meet at Castle Rock. The Bruins’ Lilah Zimmerman finished second in the girls’ race, while Luther Thomas was fifth in the boys’ race.
HR Council Indicates Preference For Bond Package
A majority of the Hood River City Council indicated their current preference for a bond measure to take to voters next year would be a package that would include funding for a renovation of the police department headquarters at City Hall, a new public works building, money for land for affordable housing, and Safe Routes to School projects. City staff was looking for direction as they prepare to more fully develop a proposal and have polling conducted to determine if the voting public is of the same view. Mayor Paul Blackburn pointed out that what the Council may want might differ from the public. There was some discussion about whether to include helping Mid-Columbia Community Action establish a permanent shelter location in Hood River, either through funds that would be earmarked for affordable housing or some other area. Councilor Grant Polson noted the polling they receive from a professional firm should provide a multi-varied analysis on what citizens would prioritize for a bond measure.
WAGAP Puts Out Report For 2024
The 2024 Annual Report for Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) is now available to the public following approval by the board of directors during a recent meeting. The Community Action Agency has served Skamania and Klickitat counties since 1966, supporting low-income families to improve their quality of life. WAGAP Executive Director Jennifer Pauletto says last year the organization served 6,996 families, including 14,513 individuals, through its programs. Nearly 17,000 food boxes were distributed, over 800 homes received energy assistance, and volunteers gave over 5,000 hours of their time. WAGAP maintained a healthy balance sheet with over $8 million in income, including in-kind revenue, and expenses were held to just under $7.1 million. Income sources include Federal, State, and local grants, fundraising, earned revenue, and in-kind donations. WAGAP includes a Food Bank Network, housing programs, emergency assistance, shelter programs, domestic violence support, and energy assistance programs, combined with care coordination, family resource centers, civic engagement, and youth programs, to support residents in need with resources and tailored assistance.
Great ShakeOut Is Thursday
Thursday is Great ShakeOut day, when emergency officials throughout the Northwest and around the country test their preparedness for an earthquake and remind citizens to be ready as well. For the Pacific Northwest, the eventuality of a Cascadia Fault earthquake is top of mind. But Hood River County Emergency Management Director Charles Young points out there are other earthquake possibilities as well, with a 35-mile long fault to the west of the County discovered just a few years ago. Young says there is a simple piece of advice to follow during an earthquake: drop to the ground, find something to be under, and hold on. Many emergency agencies will be sending out test alerts Thursday morning at 10:16.
Wasco County Burn Ban To Be Lifted Friday
Fire districts in Wasco County and the Oregon Department of Forestry have agreed to lift Wasco County’s seasonal burn ban this Friday, to coincide with ODF terminating fire season in its Central Oregon District at the same time. ODF Fire Managers and the 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. Wind is a big factor that can affect the spread of fire from debris piles into vegetation adjacent to a burn pile, or embers that the wind blows into nearby dry vegetation. Watch the weather forecasts and ensure you have a fire safe area cleared around your pile, with water and tools readily available. Monitor your pile until it has consumed and is completely out cold, as unattended piles can hold residual heat and rekindle. As an alternative to burning, 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 Saturdays in November.
White Salmon School Board Discussion On K-12 Campus Next Week
The White Salmon Valley School District Board will publicly discuss next week financial details for a proposed renovation of the current middle and high school campus to become a K-12 facility. Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says he has a meeting scheduled later this week with a financial analyst from the Southwest Washington Educational Services District who has been helping develop projections for the project, and should from that meeting have a more formal estimate. He did say the rough estimate has been $110 million to do the unified campus, but he also points out that a K-12 campus opens up more state matching funding possibilities. The district has been targeting putting a bond measure on the February 2026 ballot.