Dr. Liz Lance has been selected as Q-Life’s first executive director. The agency board says Lance brings extensive operational leadership experience along with a personal understanding of broadband’s transformative impact in Wasco County. She has over a decade of strategic technology leadership experience, most recently serving as Chief of Staff at the analytics firm Performica. With Q-Life, Lance will focus on expanding the agency’s 17-mile fiber optic network further into Wasco County while maintaining reliable, cost-effective telecommunications infrastructure that enhances regional economic development. Lance is currently the Secretary for Dufur Volunteer Fire and Ambulance.
Author: mbailey
HR County Evaluating Future Building Needs
Hood River County has started the process of evaluating its building needs in the future. County Commissioners recently approved a contract with DLR Architects to update a 2015 space needs and site evaluation report, covering the Courthouse, Sheriff’s Office, and administrative functions. County Administrator Allison Williams says they will be starting in a couple of weeks. Williams noted the current cost of new courthouses is a $1,000 a square foot, which means Hood River County may need to be creative to find a way to address its building needs.
November 13 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Washington Class 2B Volleyball Tournament at Yakima Valley Sundome
First Round
Freeman def. Goldendale 25-9, 25-16, 25-10
Consolation
Davenport def. Goldendale 23-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-18
Klickitat County Jail Transfer Coming In December
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.
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.