Skamania County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue on Sunday rescued a man stranded in a canyon in the western part of the County after he fell into the canyon area when he got out of a stuck car. Skamania County Search and Rescue says Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife officers reached the trapped individual. After stabilizing the man to endure challenging extraction process, Skamania EMS & Rescue and Fire District #4 joined Search and Rescue to set up an intricate rope system requiring 600 feet of rope. A lower system was used to bring down a stretcher, an EMT, and two additional rescuers, who brought the man to safety. Once the subject was returned to the road, Fire District #4 and Skamania EMS & Rescue took over, providing further medical assistance and transport.
Author: mbailey
HR Council Rejects Brookside Annexation Agreement
In a split vote, Hood River City Councilors rejected an annexation agreement for eleven acres on Brookside Drive that would have led to a 50-unit housing development. The original concept envisioned when the City approved annexation of the land and a change to the C-2 mixed use zone in exchange for an easement to complete the Indian Creek Trail called for at least half of the units to be long-term housing for at least ten years, but developers Pacific Realty Advisors asked for that condition to be lifted. One of the developers, Reco Prianto, told the Council the cost of developing rental housing in Hood River is too high to be feasible. Councilors Doug Stepina, Amanda Goeke, and Anna Cavaleri voted for the agreement, but Grant Polson and Ben Mitchell along with Mayor Paul Blackburn were against, while Gladys Rivera was not present. The Council voted to ask Community Development Director Dustin Nilsen to continue talks with the developers. Nilsen noted the action does not impact the City receiving the easement for the trail.
The Dalles Council Talks Fireworks Regulations
After a lengthy and varied discussion on fireworks, The Dalles City Council asked municipal staff to develop some kind of ordinance which would create a trigger to put a restriction in place if weather conditions require it. The Dalles has prohibited the personal use of fireworks the last four years, but waiting until the latter part of June to do so. Mayor Rich Mays says they would like to find a better way to do it, but how is a question. City Manager Matthew Klebes says they should have an ordinance ready for consideration at the Council’s April 28 meeting.
Sheriff’s Office Suspends Efforts To Recover Martin Car
The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office says it is suspending any further recovery efforts for the remainder of a vehicle investigators likely believe belong to a Portland family who disappeared in December of 1958. A portion of the vehicle was recovered from the Columbia River near Cascade Locks earlier this month after a private diver located it in a basin within the original lock system in Cascade Locks, upside down and buried nose first in 66 years of packed sediment and rock, about fifty feet below the surface. Only the chassis and engine of the vehicle were recovered from the riverbed. The Sheriff’s Office says the Martin family had a 1954 Ford 4-door station wagon, cream in color and red trim. After comparing serial numbers with Ford Motor Company records, investigators believe what was recovered does match up with that type of vehicle, but they could not find a Vehicle Identification Number, which had just begun to be used in 1954, so they cannot say for sure it is the Martins’ car. The Sheriff’s Office says because of the difficulties in retrieving the chassis, the corroded condition it was in, and the sediment and rock encasing the rest of the car, it does not feel expending further time or resources on pulling out the remainder of the vehicle would be prudent, so it is suspending further recovery efforts.
March 24 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Hood River Valley 7, North Eugene 4: Trevor Jacobs drove in the tie-breaking run in four-run seventh inning to lift the Eagles to the win. Bodie Stuben struck out five in two-and-two-thirds innings of relief to earn the victory on the mound.
Crater 6, Hood River Valley 3: The Comets scored five runs in the top of the seventh to hand HRV its first loss of the year.
Softball
Hood River Valley 28, McKay 0: Honey Bryan homered, doubled and drove in six runs as the Eagles accumulated nine extra base hits in three innings, and 20 hits in total.
Ridgeview 10, Hood River Valley 2: The Ravens scored in every inning to grab the win.
Boys Soccer
Columbia 3, Fort Vancouver 1
Stevenson 7, Onalaska 0
Proposed Child Care Facility Gets EPA Grant
The Columbia Gorge Education Service District and Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation have been selected to receive a $19.99 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Change Grant program to help create a new child care facility in The Dalles. The EPA says the proposed Columbia Gorge Early Learning and Resilience Center would be solar-powered and grid-islanded to reduce air pollution and provide the community with resilient power during what the agency termed “extreme climate events.” The Columbia Gorge Early Learning and Resilience Center will also include 2 new electric vehicle charging stations, a new bus stop, and air filtration systems. Additionally, the project will expand Columbia Gorge Community College’s successful career and technical education programs.
Sherman County Investigates Pickup Hitting Railroad Depot Building
The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a pickup truck colliding with a building in Wasco. The Sheriff’s Office reports that on Sunday morning, a white Ford pickup crashed into the Wasco Railroad Depot. The Sheriff’s Office says the driver caused significant damage and fled the scene. If you have any details or home security footage, you are asked to contact Deputy Jacobsen at the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office at 541-384-2383.
Skamania County Sheriff’s Says Burglary Calls Up
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Department says it has responded to numerous calls of burglaries across the entire county in the past week, adding they have received requests for tips on how to help deter break-ins. One step is to make sure to have all your doors and windows locked, and if you do not have a lock on a door or window, think about getting something that can prevent it from opening. If you have outside lights or motion sensor lights, make sure they are on and work properly. Check security cameras if you have them and make sure they are working properly. Cameras can help identify the subject committing crimes by either video or pictures of the person or vehicle. Also, talking with your neighbors can also help as they may have seen someone or something suspicious as well. And of course, call 9-1-1 when a burglary occurs.
Port of Hood River Says Breeze-By Billing Issues Addressed
The Port of Hood River indicates it has cleared up most of the billing issues resulting from five weeks of Breeze-By transactions at the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge not reaching accounts due to a computer issue. Port Executive Director Kevin Greenwood says the problem stemmed from moving the connection between the bridge toll booth and those accounts from a hard-wired system to a cloud-based system. When the problem was discovered and the connection restored, Greenwood says five weeks worth of transactions flooded into people’s accounts at once. He said they extended payment timelines by 30 days. Greenwood says they were flooded with phone calls as people saw their accounts.
December 13-14 Prep Basketball Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
The Dalles 70, Corbett 57
The Dalles 71, Ontario 27
South Wasco 51, Falls City 16
Cove 54, South Wasco 50
Klickitat-Glenwood 48, Vernonia 44
Klickitat-Glenwood 50, Griswold 42
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 52, Lyle-Wishram 26
Condon 71, Lyle-Wishram 62 (OT)
Dufur 42, Elgin 34
Dufur 42, Echo 40
Echo 73, Trout Lake 50
Union 51, Trout Lake-Glenwood 19
Grand View Christian Academy 47, Horizon Christian 28
Goldendale 56, LaGrande 52
Umatilla 73, Goldendale 56
Girls Basketball
Hood River Valley 52, Bend 47
The Dalles 52, Corbett 33
The Dalles 41, Heppner 35
South Wasco 58, Falls City 39
Southwest Christian 49, South Wasco 46
Elgin 37, Dufur 14
Echo 51, Dufur 20
Trout Lake-Glenwood 38, Echo 34
Union 48, Trout Lake-Glenwood 31
LaGrande 69, Goldendale 11
Boys Wrestling
Hood River Valley held off Tigard to win the Rick Sanders Classic at Portland’s Lincoln High School. Connor Farlow, JR Mendez, and Leyton Adams won their weight classes. The Dalles finished sixth with Alfred Brackenbury scoring a first place finish.