White Salmon City Councilors have asked staff to better define Accessory Dwelling Units and how they should be considered for water and sewer hook-ups and rates.  Mayor David Poucher says the issue came up as the City offered an amnesty period for undocumented water hook-ups.  Poucher says they need a better definition to clear up the issue, noting right now the ADU ordinance requires them to have a separate hook-up.  Poucher says the City will be extending the amnesty on unregistered ADU water hook-ups until the issue is sorted out.

About 500 swimmers will jump in the Columbia River on Monday morning for the 2015 Roy Webster Labor Day Cross Channel Swim.  The swim originated in 1942 when local orchardist Roy Webster challenged himself to swim across the river.  Monday morning participants will board the famous Sternwheeler paddleboat on the south shore of the Columbia at the Port of Hood River and will be ferried across the river to the Washington shore where they will jump off the boat and into the water.  A special swim lane lined with volunteers in sailboats, kayaks and paddleboards will guide, encourage, and protect swimmers as they cross the channel.  This year’s swim is sold out, but stand-by registrations to take the place of no shows will be taken starting at 4:45 a.m. Monday.  For more information, call the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce at 541-386-2000.

Wamic will be buzzing this weekend with the sound of lawnmower racing this weekend, as the Mike Sofich Memorial Labor Day races take place at the Sportsman’s Grass Car Racing area.  Lawn mower racers from Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Canada will compete in the Western Mower World Series event.  Racer Randy Marshall says there are number of different classes of riding lawnmower that will be racing, with some capable of reaching near 55 miles per hour.  Races start Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at noon at the track on Wamic Market Road.  Admission is free, with the local American Legion Auxiliary hosting a beer garden.

Containment of the Cougar Creek Fire north of Glenwood remains at 60 percent, as crews continue building containment line along the north and west portions of the fire.  Whenever possible crews are using natural barriers and improving existing roads and dozer lines to minimize disturbing soil and vegetation.  Sections of completed containment line are being connected and mop up is occurring on many portions of the fire.  The south end of the fire is being patrolled to monitor the integrity of the completed fireline.  Dozers and felling teams continue to identify and mitigate fire line hazards, allowing ground personnel to access more areas of the fire.  The fire has burned 53,162 acres.

The Dalles Public Works Department has been operating valves within the City’s water distribution system to better utilize well water supplies.  But as a result, flow rates have changed in some water mains which has stirred up accumulated rust and sediments in certain areas.  Some customers have experienced colored water or dirty-looking water due to these changes.  City crews are flushing the system to correct the issue.  If you are experiencing discolored water, the Public Works Department recommends letting the water run for several minutes until clear.  If the water does not clear, please contact The Dalles Public Works office at 541-296-5401, Extension 2001.

Nine smokejumpers jumped into the area north of Mount Adams Lake by parachute to help in the effort to fully contain the Cougar Creek Fire.  The smokejumpers, based out of north central Washington, went into a section of the fire with very steep and rugged terrain that makes access and suppression of the fire very difficult.  The smokejumpers are building direct containment line along the north and northwest section of the fire.  Dozers, hand crews, and fellers are continuing to improve contingency lines along Potato Hill Road.   The containment of the fire has increased to 60 percent, while size has been decreased to 53,162 acres due to more accurate GPS base mapping.  Although cloudy skies and cooler temperatures have helped moderate fire activity, fuels remain extremely dry.  Dead and down surface fuels will burn actively and heavy fuels will retain plenty of heat.

The Hood River County School District has a long-range facilities planning effort that is underway.  Superintendent Dan Goldman says the district has a number of aging facilities along with capacity issues, in particular in the lower valley.  A facilities planning advisory committee made up of citizens, business owners, government leaders and school district personnel from across the county will be put together this fall to examine data collected over the last four months and make priority recommendations.  Goldman says they have a bond issue about to come off the books, and a new bond issue could qualify for some state matching funds.

The Dalles City Council discussed alternatives for planned upgrades to the municipal wastewater treatment plant at a Monday worksession.  After hearing about a number of different alternatives from project consultants Kennedy/Jenks and Mortensen Construction, Councilors were leaning toward what was presented as a preferred alternative, which was not the lowest cost plan but would offer the potential to generate electricity needed to operate the plant.  The estimated full project cost was over 15 million dollars, but Mayor Steve Lawrence noted it could be the most cost efficient.  City Public Works Director Dave Anderson told the Council with increases in the municipal wastewater revenues thanks to an increase in users, there is enough money to pay for the first phase of the project without going out for a bond, noting the possibility energy generation portions of the project could receive funding from outside sources.  The Council will decide whether to move to the 80 percent design phase of the project at meeting in late September or October.

There will be a new addition to the front of Hood River Middle School.  A temporary boiler system is being brought in to replace the school’s 98-year-old boiler that suffered a catastrophic failure in June.  Superintendent Dan Goldman says the temporary system will have to be placed at the front of the school along May Street because the boiler room is located there.  He adds with the age of the entire system, it will be a very complex and expensive fix.  Goldman did say the district has the money to cover the replacement without dipping into the general fund.  But he also noted the district has the same type of boiler of the same vintage at Parkdale Elementary School.

A new management team is at the helm of the Cougar Creek Fire northwest of Glenwood.  A team from Southern California took command on Monday, relieving a Washington team.  The fire remains listed as 60 percent contained, and has burned 54,000 acres.  Though the south end of the fire received a wetting rain over the weekend, the rain did not penetrate the canopy in the northern portion of the fire.  Those areas continue to dry out as the effects of the rain dissipate over the next few days.  As vegetation continues to dry out smoke will become more visible and fire activity may pick up.  Hand crews continue to build direct containment line along the north and northwest section of the fire while continuing to improve contingency lines along Potato Hill Road.