Klickitat County is on track to transfer administration of its jail from the Sheriff’s Office to a new Department of Corrections in three weeks. County Human Resources Director Robb Van Cleave reported to County Commissioners on Tuesday that he will present them the resolution for the transfer at the panel’s December 3 meeting. Van Cleave says he will present an organizational chart for Commission approval on November 26. One of the challenges for the new jail administrator will be dealing with the provider of meals for the facility. Van Cleave says he was informed by concessionaire Aramark that the company is losing $100,000 a year on their contract, which is up at the end of the year. He notes Aramark won’t renew at that kind of loss.
Author: mbailey
Helfrich Won’t Seek Leadership Position
Oregon 52nd District State Representative Jeff Helfrich announced he will not seek another term as House Republican Leader. The Hood River resident was narrowly reelected to his seat in last week’s election, holding off Democrat challenger Nick Walden Poublon by at last count 1,281 votes. Helfrich cited in a press release the desire to spend more time with his family, particularly in the wake of the recent death of his father. However, in a letter Helfrich wrote to his House colleagues obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive, he said his time as leader took a toll on him, and what he was not prepared for was the endless drama within the GOP caucus, adding those fights were tougher than those with Democratic leadership. He wrote that he thought of the caucus as a team and he was the captain, and instead he found himself playing a solo in the band and his own teammates heckling him along the way. Helfrich goes on to say in the letter that if they want to win, they need to be united.
Wasco County Looks At Condition Of Tygh Valley’s Main Street
Wasco County is looking at what can be done about the condition of Main Street in Tygh Valley. It’s a small part of the about 125 miles of what are called local access roads in the County, which are not in any formal road system. Commissioners last week gave County Public Works Director Arthur Smith the go-ahead to examine the 600-foot road and determined what kind of maintenance needs to be done. Commissioner Scott Hege says a nearby maintained County road is just up above it, but the most direct route to the County Fairgrounds and Wamic is the local access road, and it is heavily used. Hege says there are other similar examples in the County, and also around Oregon, noting Deschutes County has 1,000 miles of these kinds of roads.
Rope Training At Multnomah Falls Tuesday
The Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue volunteer group will be conducting an annual rope training exercise at Multnomah Falls this coming Tuesday. As a safety precaution, the Larch Mountain Trail will be closed for most of the day from the plaza at the base of the trail to the top of Multnomah Falls. The training exercise includes the use of high angle rope systems and as an added benefit, volunteers remove trash throughout the steep terrain from the top of Multnomah Falls down to the base of the waterfall. PNWSAR is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that provides search and rescue assistance for people who are lost or injured outdoors throughout the entire Pacific Northwest. They are equipped to operate in challenging weather and terrain and are on call 24/7 to respond quickly. All members of the Rope Support Team are certified by Rescue 3 International, a global leader in technical rescue training. Visitors to Multnomah Falls are reminded to pack out all trash and properly dispose of it, including pet waste. The Multnomah Falls Lodge Visitor Center, restaurant, gift shop, snack bar, and restrooms will remain open to the public while the training is ongoing.
Pinchot Christmas Tree Cutting Permits Available
Christmas tree cutting permits for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest are now available for purchase. They are available at the Mt. Adams Ranger District office on 2455 Highway 141 in Trout Lake, Wind River Market in Carson, the Main Street Convenience Store in Stevenson, and Little Mountain Hardware in Trout Lake. Permits at the in-person locations are $5. Christmas tree cutting permits can also be purchased online at recreation.gov, with an additional administrative fee. Households with fourth graders can get a permit for free through the Every Kid Outdoors program, with information available at everykidoutdoors.gov. There is a limit of five permits per household. Each permit comes with a map of areas of the Pinchot Forest closed to cutting and an information sheet with special instructions for cutting your tree.
Mitchell Point Tunnel Dedication Set For Saturday
The Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and other project partners are dedicating the new Mitchell Point Tunnel as part of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail on Saturday. The tunnel segment includes 1.5-miles of the Historic Highway State Trail perched above I-84 and carved through 655 feet of a basalt mountain that overlooks the Gorge. The new Mitchell Point tunnel is reminiscent of the historic, 1915 tunnel with five arched windows overlooking the Columbia River. The dedication event offers the public an opportunity to preview the Mitchell Point Tunnel before it opens. The goal is to complete the work by the end of the year, but the finishing touches on this section of trail are weather dependent and could extend into 2025. The dedication ceremony begins at 11 a.m. Saturday morning. Starting from 9:30 a.m., free event shuttles will run from Viento State Park at I-84 east Exit 56 and Columbia Area Transit’s park and ride at 224 Wasco Loop, Hood River. Shuttles will circulate continuously and will arrive about every 15 minutes. They are free to ride and there is no parking fee.
Meadows To Kick Off Season With Preview Weekend
Mt. Hood Meadows announced it will kick off the 2024-25 season this week, with a preview weekend this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The resort will start off its 57th year of operations with the south-side lifts of Buttercup, Easy Rider, and Daisy, as well as the Ballroom Carpet conveyor. Lifts are scheduled to operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. all three days, and additional lifts and terrain may open as conditions allow. Early season conditions exist, and guests are asked to stay on groomed runs and watch for unmarked obstacles. Meadows officials say they will reevaluate conditions after the preview weekend and provide an update about additional operating days, lifts, and terrain. November 15 will mark the earliest the resort has opened in 15 years, as Meadows usually aims to start operating around Thanksgiving weekend. The 2024-25 season is anticipated to be a good one for Meadows, as meteorologists have forecast a La Niña winter for the region, which typically rings cooler temperatures and more snow.
Discovery Center To Hold Film Festival To Raise Funds For Snow School
The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will hold the Backcountry Film Festival this Friday evening. CGCC Executive Director Cheryl Ragar says the film festival is free, but it is a fundraiser for the Center’s Snow School for fifth graders. The movies are from the Winter Wildlands Alliance, and there will be a taco truck and beverages available for sale. The Backcountry Film Festival will run from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, with the films beginning at 6 p.m. in the Discovery Center’s Murdock Theatre.
Gala Fashion Show Friday To Help Hood River Family
After an absence of a decade, a Gala Holiday Fashion Show will be held in Hood River this Friday. Cathy Carter has brought the show back, and she says a number of different Gorge merchants will be displaying clothing reflective of what people in the region wear. Proceeds from the show benefits the Hulett-Mahaffey family to help them with expenses related to medical treatments for their two-year-old child. The show begins Friday evening at 7 p.m. at the Best Western Hood River Inn Gorge Room. Tickets are $39, go to eventbrite.com.
November 8-9 Prep Sports Roundup
Oregon Class 5A Football Playoffs
First Round
Dallas 28, Hood River Valley 13
Oregon Class 1-A 8-Man Football Playoffs
First Round
Dufur 62, Powder Valley 14: The Rangers play a quarter-final against North Douglas on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Sutherlin High School.
Sherman 20, Mohawk 18: Sherman travels to Crosspoint Christian on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Union 74, Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 20
Oregon Class 1-A 6-Man Football Playoffs
First Round
South Wasco 51, Days Creek 13: The Redsides are at North Lake on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Washington Class 2-B Football District Playoff
Goldendale 56, Lake Roosevelt 6: The Timberwolves advance to the first round of the state playoffs and will play at Freeman this weekend.
Oregon Class 5A Boys Soccer Quarterfinal
LaSalle 3, Hood River Valley 2 (4-2 PK)
Oregon Class 4A Boys Soccer Quarterfinal
Henley 2, The Dalles 1
Oregon Class 4A Girls Soccer Quarterfinal
North Marion 3, The Dalles 2 (OT)
Washington District 4 Class 1A Girls Soccer Tournament
Loser Out
King’s Way Christian 3, Columbia 1
Oregon Class 4A Volleyball Tournament
QF: Crook County def. The Dalles 16-25, 26-24, 25-18, 25-22
Consolation: The Dalles def. Henley 25-17, 21-25, 23-25, 25-15, 15-8
4th Place: The Dalles def. Cascade 25-22, 25-18, 17-25, 19-25, 15-10
Washington District 4 Class 1A Volleyball Championship
LaCenter def. Stevenson 22-25, 25-19, 25-18, 18-25, 15-13: Stevenson goes to the state tournament in Yakima, and will face Lynden Christian in round one of Friday afternoon at 2:30.
Washington District 5 Class 2B Volleyball Tournament
Goldendale def. Okanogan 3-1
Goldendale def. Warden 3-1: Timberwolves finish third in the tournament and advance to the state tournament in Yakima, and will face Freeman on Wednesday morning at 9:45.
Oregon Class 5A Boys Water Polo Tournament at Bend
Quarter-Final: Hood River Valley 18, Hillsboro 8
Semi-Final: Summit 8, Hood River Valley 7
Third Place: West Albany 10, Hood River Valley 9
Oregon Class 5A Girls Water Polo Tournament at Bend
Semi-Final: Hood River Valley 20, Hillsboro 4
Championship: Hood River Valley 15, West Albany 11
Cross Country
The Dalles was second in the boys’ standings and third in the girls’ at the Oregon Class 4A Cross Country Championships at Lane Community College in Eugene The boys trailed only Newport, and were led by Trey Hodges with a ninth place individual finish, followed by Caleb Caldwell in 11th and Tyson Long in 12th. The girls were third behind Philomath in Klamath Union, and were led by a second place effort from Alana Casady, while Abigail Pope was 27th.
Hood River Valley held off Caldera to finish fourth and bring home a trophy from the boys’ Class 5A Cross Country Championship. Logan King was the top Eagle finisher in seventh, while Kai Wagner was 27th. In the girls’ 5A race, HRV’s Syl Perrin was 26th.
At the Washington Class 1A Girls’ Cross Country Championship in Pasco, Columbia finished eighth and Stevenson 14th. Kathryn O’Connor led CHS with a 19th place finish, and Stevenson’s Daisy Jones was 48th. In the 1A boys’ run, Columbia was 15th as a team with the Bruins’ Noah Slayton in 30th.
Goldendale was 11th in the Class 2B boys’ standings and 12th in the girls’ run. The Timberwolves’ Malachi Lawson was 23rd in the boys’ race, and Emma Meagher was 40th in the girls’ run.