The proposed affordable housing development in Hood River on the Morrison Park property did not receive funding from Oregon Housing and Community Services in its latest round of funding awards this week.  Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation had made a proposal to receive funding through the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit and HOME awards that leverage local, state, and private investments.  In spite of not being selected, CCHC Board President Scott Clements says they feel they will be in a better position to apply for the next round of funding, expected to be at the beginning of 2019.  The Hood River City Council rezoned the park property, known as tax lot 700, in June 2017 to develop it for affordable housing.

Mt. Hood National Forest fire personnel are encouraging visitors to take precautions to prevent human-caused wildfires.  Human causes, such as abandoned and illegal campfires, and target shooting are responsible for the majority of wildfires on the Mt. Hood National Forest.   Of thirty wildfires reported this year, only one was started by lightning.   Fire personnel have been occupied extinguishing 200 abandoned campfires in the past several weeks.  Now through August 21st, a multi-agency national Fire Prevention and Education Team, comprised of professionals from the U.S. Forest Service and the Georgia Forestry Commission in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management and other federal, state and local agencies will visit dispersed camp sites, historic sites, campgrounds and other areas around the Mt. Hood National Forest to assist with educating visitors about the restrictions and how they can protect lives and property from wildfire.

The annual Cruise The Gorge event is this weekend in The Dalles.  The Neon Cruise kicks off the event at 6:30 Friday evening, followed by the Show In The Shade on Saturday at Sorosis Park, and the Vintage Dufur Days Classic Car Show and Dallesport Drags set for Sunday.  For a second straight year the Neon Cruise is a “controlled cruise,” requiring registration to take part.  Anyone can take part in the cruise.  The registration fee is five dollars, with all proceeds going to The Dalles Main Street program.  Registration for the cruise and the show on Saturday will take place at Burgerville in downtown The Dalles on Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A 52-year-old man had to be airlifted to a Portland hospital on Wednesday afternoon after suffering a severe back injury jumping from the top of Rock Creek Falls.  According to the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, Robert Joseph Sellars impacted the rocks below the falls, resulting in a serious back injury.  Crews from Stevenson Fire/Skamania Fire District 2 and Skamania County EMS were able to reach Sellars by navigating through chest deep water, then stabilize him and move him from the shallow water.  A helicopter from U.S. Coast Guard Astoria was able to hoist Sellars out of the canyon and take him to Oregon Health Sciences University Hospital in Portland.  The sheriff’s office says Sellars’ wife told them her husband is a “cliff diver” and videos himself jumping off cliffs and posting the footage on his website.  She and her sons were filming Sellars’ jump from below.

The containment level for the South Valley Fire has moved up to 90 percent, as the final night shift crew wrapped up its work.  Crews continue to focus on mop-up and patrolling the fire perimeter and unburned islands.  That work continues to be tested by high temperatures and gusty winds.  The Oregon Department of Forestry indicates sufficient resources will remain assigned to the fire to patrol and handle any problems that may arise.  Other resources will begin to demobilize.  Due to high temperatures, Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill is keeping the evacuation advisory for the South Valley Fire areas at Level 1 through the weekend.  Cost of fighting the 20,026 acre fire is now at $5.23 million.

An estimated fire of less than two acres in size along Canyon Road near Odell on Wednesday afternoon forced the evacuation of five homes in the Wy’East Road area between Davis Dr. and Central Vale.  The fire was reported on Canyon Road at 2:51 p.m. Wednesday.  It burned in grass, brush and timber terrain. Five homes were evacuated within the 3600 block of Wy’East Road while the road itself was shut down between Davis and Central Vale.  A wet line was put around the fire perimeter and fire crews were in mop-up stage just over an hour after the fire started.  Fire crews from Wy’East Fire Department, Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service actively worked the fire, with logistical support from Hood River Fire Department.

Searchers found a 79-year-old California man who was reported missing on the Pacific Crest Trail out of Trout Lake.  The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office received the report Monday evening that Michael Manchester of Marina Del Ray was overdue.  Manchester was part of a group of eight hikers that were hiking the PCT from the Cultus Creek Trailhead on Monday, and Manchester was last seen at about 5:30 p.m.  The group without Manchester continued to their destination at the Falls Creek Trailhead.  One hiker went back to look for Manchester and ran into another hiker who said Manchester was still walking south and appeared to be in good health.  A search was initiated by the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office…and an officer found Manchester at the PCT/USF 560 Road intersection.  He was out of water but in good health.  Manchester was reunited with his hiking group in Trout Lake.

The North Wasco County School District 21 Board has approved placing a measure on the November ballot authorizing the district to issue 235 million dollars in bonds over the next 20 years to replace most of the district’s buildings.  D-21 Chief Financial Officer Randy Anderson says the bonds would be sold every five years.  The first project would be to construct a new high school at the Wahtonka campus, and future projects would include replacement of the district’s three elementary schools.  The district also wants to modernize classrooms and improve safety and security in the schools.

Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue has declared a condition of “extreme fire danger” exists within the district.  Under that designation, open fires are prohibited, including open pile burning, burn barrels, campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires.  The use of commercially manufacture fire pits with screens, barbeques and devices using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.  Smoking should be limited to areas where no combustible materials are present.  Chainsaw use, cutting, grinding, and welding should be avoided between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., and those involved in those activities need to have firefighting equipment readily available and provide a fire watch for at least one hour following the use of any equipment.  Mowing of dried grass with power driven or other mechanical equipment should not be conducted until the extreme fire danger conditions have significantly decreased, and do not use fireworks, exploding targets, tracer ammunition or sky lanterns.  The Oregon Department of Forestry, Mt. Hood National Forest and Private Timber Company lands all have additional prohibitions.  Individuals who fail to follow the prohibitions or conduct activities which could contribute to the ignition or spread of a fire could be liable for all costs associated with the suppression of a fire.

        A small brush fire was reported in the Canyon Road area of Odell this afternoon. According to the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, the fire was contained at about 2 acres. Three houses along Wy’east Road were evacuated as a precaution. Mop-up activity was underway a little after 4:00 this afternoon.