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Author: mbailey

Point In Time Count Shows Jump In HR County Homeless Numbers

Posted on by mbailey

The recently released preliminary data from Mid-Columbia Community Action’s Point In Time count of homeless people in January showed a 56 percent increase in the number of people in that position in Hood River County compared to 2022.  Community Action Executive Director Kenny LaPoint says improved counting methods are one reason for the increase, but he also notes Hood River County doesn’t have the amount of resources that are available in Wasco County.  He notes there is only a seasonal shelter available in Hood River County, compared to a year-round shelter in Wasco County.  LaPoint said his organization has looked for property in Hood River County to establish a navigation center for housing services similar to what Community Action is currently developing in The Dalles.

 

Management Team Assumes Command Of Pinchot Fires

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The Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the Cowlitz Complex Fire on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, with officials saying local crews have done an excellent job of establishing containment lines around several of the more than 40 wildfires currently active on the Pinchot.  Team officials say four fires have been identified for immediate attention, including the Snagtooth and Spencer Quartz fires on the southside of Snagtooth Mountain that are the largest in the complex at a combined 449 acres.  Access is limited due to steep terrain, and crews have been scouting the area and assessing the potential for growth.

Umatilla County Poaching Conviction First Under New Guidelines

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A recent poaching conviction in Umatilla County is the first significant application of new sentencing guidelines established by the Oregon Legislature in 2018 creating stiffer penalties and allows prosecutors to elevate poaching crimes from a misdemeanor to a felony.  The Oregon State Police say 28-year-old Walker Erickson on Pendleton will pay $75,000 in fines and serve jail time after pleading guilty to 22 charges of killing numerous deer and elk near Pendleton in what officials called a wildlife crime spree.  It was prosecuted by Oregon Department of Justice Wildlife Anti-Poaching Resources Prosecutor Jay Hall.  Yvonne Shaw of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says Hall has experience with trying poaching cases, and his new position allows him to provide guidance to prosecutors and the OSP.  A new website, ProtectOregonsWildlife.com, features tips on how to recognize poaching and report it.

Low Pressure Pattern Helps Camp Creek Fire Effort

Posted on by mbailey

Officials on the Camp Creek Fire in the Mt. Hood National Forest northeast of Sandy near the Bull Run Watershed say higher humidity and rainfall have helped moderate fire spread, but the fire continues to burn steadily inside thick canopies of trees.  Great Basin Incident Management Team 1 Commander Evans Kuo told a community meeting in Corbett on Tuesday evening that the current weather patterns are helping firefighters, even though there are some east winds forecast later in the week.  Operations Section Chief Issac Powning did emphasize that even with some moisture in the area, the fire is burning actively.  Size of the fire has increased to 1,969 acres, with no containment figure.

Fire Near Cottonwood Canyon Park Burns 4,000 Acres

Posted on by mbailey

A fire reported 17 miles southeast of Wasco adjacent to Highway 206 in the John Day River drainage burned 4,000 acres before the Bureau of Land Management declared it in mop-up.  The fire was first reported near Highway 206 milepost 15 in Sherman County.  The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office says it was about one mile south of Cottonwood Canyon State Park, on both sides of the John Day River, and grew rapidly to the east.  It burned on BLM, state, and private lands.  Firefighters on the ground were supported by four single-engine air tankers and two large air tankers.

Winslow Road Fire Burns 960 Acres

Posted on by mbailey

Firefighters on Tuesday evening were able to stop the forward progression of a fire southwest of Dufur without losing any structures.  The Oregon Department of Forestry says the Winslow Road Fire was estimated at about 960 acres in size.  The fire burned a combination of dry fuels, ranging from timber and brush to recently harvested wheatland, and was wind driven by 20 to 30 mile per hour sustained winds gusting to 45 miles per hour, which the ODF says made it fairly difficult to get a line around the fire initially.  ODF’s fire bosses along with scoopers and a large air tanker from the Camp Creek Fire helped to assist ground operations in stopping forward progression of the fire.  ODF crews were mopping up the fire Wednesday.  Given the light fuels, the fire will be in patrol status for a couple of days.  All evacuation advisories were lifted Wednesday morning.  Crews from ODF, the Mt. Hood National Forest, Tygh Valley, Dufur, Petersburg, Wamic, Dallesport, a task force consisting of units from Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue, Hood River, and Mosier, and local landowers all took part in the firefighting effort.

Forward Progress Of Winslow Fire Stopped

Posted on by mbailey

Firefighters on Tuesday evening were able to stop the forward progression of a fire southwest of Dufur without losing any structures.  The Oregon Department of Forestry says the Winslow Road Fire was estimated at about 950 acres in size.  The fire burned a combination of dry fuels, ranging from timber and brush to recently harvested wheatland, and was wind driven by 20 to 30 mile per hour sustained winds gusting to 45 miles per hour, which the ODF says made it fairly difficult to get a line around the fire initially.  ODF’s fire bosses along with scoopers and a large air tanker from the Camp Creek Fire helped to assist ground operations in stopping forward progression of the fire.  Resources stayed on the fire overnight, and today crews will focus on mopping up the fire to ensure that all hot spots are extinguished.  Given the light fuels, the fire will be in patrol status for a couple of days.  Crews from ODF, the Mt. Hood National Forest, Tygh Valley, Dufur, Petersburg, Wamic, Dallesport, a task force consisting of units from Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue, Hood River, and Mosier, and local landowers all took part in the firefighting effort.

Cottonwood Canyon Fire Burns 4,000 Acres

Posted on by mbailey

A fire reported 17 miles southeast of Wasco adjacent to Highway 206 in the John Day River drainage burned 4,000 acres before the Bureau of Land Management declared it in mop-up.  The fire was first reported near Highway 206 milepost 15 in Sherman County.  The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office says it was about one mile south of Cottonwood Canyon State Park, on both sides of the John Day River, and grew rapidly to the east.  It burned on BLM, state, and private lands.  Firefighters on the ground were supported by four single-engine air tankers and two large air tankers.

Westside Urban Renewal District Gets Formal Approval

Posted on by mbailey

The Hood River City Council voted to formally authorize creation of the Westside Urban Renewal District.  The district has been long discussed, and the approval allows tax increment financing to begin to be accrued when taxes are collected this November.  Mayor Paul Blackburn says that will allow the district to begin to implement projects as opportunities become available.  City Manager Abigail Elder says they will be working with their urban renewal consultant, Elaine Howard, on a five-year implementation plan.

Public Bathroom To Be Topic For The Dalles Council

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When The Dalles City Council returns to its chambers September 11 after taking the month of August off, one of the topics of discussion will be whether to proceed with placing a 24-hour bathroom facility somewhere in the city.  Mayor Rich Mays says they would be looking at a heavy-duty but easy to maintain facility.  The two main issues to consider are the cost of somewhere around $185,000, and the location, with the city-owned parking lot on 3rd Street among the suggestion.  Other location suggestions have included near The Annex on Second Street operated by Mid-Columbia Community Action.

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