Hood River’s Annual Community Holiday Tree Lighting and Street Festival is set for Friday evening. The festival will be held from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oak Street, with a variety of stores open during that time period. Some streets will be closed to vehicles for the festival from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. They include Oak Street from 1st to 6th, 2nd Street from State to Cascade Avenue, and State Street from 1st to 4th. The tree lighting will take place between 5:45 and 6:15.
Author: mbailey
December 4 Prep Basketball Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
South Wasco 69, Dayville-Monument 23
Girls Basketball
The Dalles 49, Scappoose 44
C.S. Lewis 50, Horizon Christian 25
Wasco County Commission Approves First Readings Of Nuisance Changes
Wasco County Commissioners approved the first reading of amendments to the Nuisance and Abatement Ordinances and a Code Compliance Penalty Ordinance recommend by legal counsel. The changes essentially update and make clear the procedures for how the County proceeds when it receives a nuisance complaint. County Code Compliance Officer Ted Palmer told Commissioners the changes aim to make the enforcement process easier for citizens to understand. Palmer and County Community Development Director Kelly Howsley-Glover emphasized the goal remains voluntary compliance whenever possible. Second readings of the ordinances are planned for the Commission’s December 18 meeting.
December 3 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
Columbia 79, Hockinson 53
Goldendale 60, Stevenson 35
Girls Basketball
Columbia 66, Goldendale 50
Klickitat County Commission Approves Jail Command Transfer Resolutions
With the approval of four resolutions, Klickitat County Commissioners took the final steps to move command of the County Jail from the Sheriff’s Office to the newly established Department of Corrections. County Human Resources Director Robb Van Cleave said the official transfer will take place at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Commissioner Jacob Anderson noted the resolutions marked the end of a 249-day process to reach this point, adding he has a lot of faith in the future of the new department. New jail administrator Bill Frantz, with 25 years of experience in the Washington Department of Corrections, said he met with jail staff on Tuesday, and was eager to start. All of the resolutions were approved 2-1, with Commissioner Dan Christopher opposing.
Injured Man Rescued On Cape Horn Trail
A Portland man was rescued after begin injured on the Cape Horn Trail over the weekend. The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says it received a request for assistance on Friday, with a caller reporting a 57-year-old man from Portland had suffered a knee injury on the trail and could not continue. Volunteers from the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue and Silver Star Search and Rescue Teams responded to the area, quickly located the hiker, and prepared him for extrication. The hiker was returned to the trailhead by volunteers without further incident.
NORCOR Deals With Financial Questions
The Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility that serves Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam counties is dealing with increasing expenses along with a drop in revenues as the result of contracts with other jurisdictions to use NORCOR no longer bringing the dollars they once did. Board member and Hood River County Commissioner Ed Weathers says one of the problems with reliance on contracts is how the revenues have ebbed and flowed, and because of that currently expenses are well above the money coming in. NORCOR’s by-laws call for Wasco County to provide 50 percent of county-provided funds, Hood River County 40 percent, and Sherman and Gilliam counties five percent each. Weathers hopes they can reach a permanent solution for the revenue issue, and a number of options will be on the table.
WAGAP Won’t Operate Stevenson Emergency Shelter This Winter
Washington Gorge Action Programs says there will be no Stevenson emergency warming shelter this winter due to minimal use over the past few years. WAGAP Executive Director Jennifer Pauletto says they have joined with the Skamania County Homeless Housing Task Force to adjust the units near the Hegewald Center into a year-round family shelter. Pauletto says people in need of shelter in Skamania and Klickitat counties this winter are encourage to connect with one of WAGAP’s three housing offices during work hours Mondays through Thursdays to make arrangements for health and safety. In Stevenson, call 509-427-8229 or go to WAGAP’s Housing office at 683 SW Rock Creek Drive…in Bingen, call 509-493-2662 or go to WAGAP’s main office at 115 West Steuben Street…and in Goldendale, call 509-773-6834 or go to the WAGAP Housing office at 150 West Main Street. WAGAP’s Bobby Casey adds the Guided Path in Bingen is collaborating with local high school student volunteers to construct two warming huts, but no firm date has yet been announced for their use.
Project ELFF Food Drive This Week
The annual Project ELFF, or “Everyone Loves a Firefighter,” canned food drive will take place in The Dalles. Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue District Chief David Jensen says this year, rather than an event to gather food, they will be at three different grocery stores this week to take donations of non-perishable food and cash to go towards helping the Salvation Army and St. Vincent dePaul with their efforts. Project ELFF will be at The Dalles Fred Meyer on Tuesday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Grocery Outlet on Wednesday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday afternoon at The Dalles Safeway from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Jensen says they will also have food barrels at the stores and district fire stations so people can donate if they can’t make it at the designated times.
Advent Concert Series Starts Friday
The Advent Concert Series at Hood River’s Riverside Community Church will take place over the next three Fridays. Riverside’s Kathy Watson says this is the 51st year for the concerts, which are free and begin at noon each Friday. The series begins this Friday with the Hood River Valley High School Chamber Singers. On December 13 organist Dr. Paul Klemme will play Riverside’s restored pipe organ. And on December 20 Tim Mayer & Friends will perform. The concert series is funded by the Walton Music Trust.