Preliminary results of studies of elk movement funded by Hood River Valley orchardists shows they are not moving into public lands in higher elevations during the summer as they have in the past.  Kaly Adkins of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says there are a number of potential reasons why, but she notes elk are extremely secretive creatures that don’t like to be disturbed, and increased recreation on the public lands they have historically gone to is one possibility.  Another possibility is an increase in fencing put up in response to orchard damage could have blocked some of the traditional migratory corridors.  ODFW is planning to reinstate a controlled elk hunt on private lands next year as a way to drive them back up into the public lands.

The White Salmon City Council has sent a proposed ordinance dealing with short-term rentals back to its Community Development Committee for revisions after a two-hour public hearing on Wednesday.  Mayor David Poucher says the Council and the committee received a lot of input, some of it surrounding the tiered fee structure, but also a number of other issues.  He felt it was a good discussion that left plenty to consider, and it’s the right move to have the Committee go through it again and then get more public input.  The expectation is the Community Development Committee will bring it back to Council sometime in the next month-and-a-half for another public hearing.

 

The annual Hood River Hops Fest will take place this Saturday evening in the Columbia parking lot.  The festival is an annual celebration of beer’s bitter friend, freshly harvested hops.  The event features more than 40 breweries with more than 60 fresh-hop beers, plus a variety of food vendors, live music, and a collectable mug.  It is open to all ages from noon to 5 p.m., and to those 21 and over from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Ticket information is available at hoodriver.org.  The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteer pourers.  To sign up, go to hoodriver.org/hops-fest.

 

 

Cross Country

Columbia placed five runners in the top 14 to hold off Trout Lake and finish first in the boys’ portion of a Trico League meet at Vancouver Lake Park.  Dylan Beneventi finished sixth and Thomas Ziegler seventh to lead the Bruins.  Justin Peck of Trout Lake won the race, with Mason Stock of the Mustangs in fourth.  Abiy LaCombe of Stevenson was eighth as the Bulldogs finished sixth in the team standings.  Columbia was third in the girls’ run with Trout Lake fourth.  Joules Hope of CHS ran fifth, while Stevenson’s Isabella Spencer was seventh.

 

Girls Soccer

Hudson’s Bay 3, Stevenson 0

SAIF, Oregon’s non-profit workers’ compensation insurance company, has announced it will send over three million dollars back to its policyholders in the area.  Policyholders in Hood River County will be receiving more than $1.7 million when the checks are mailed next month, while Wasco County policyholders will receive more than $1.6 million.  Earlier this month, SAIF announced two dividends for more than 48,500 employers in Oregon: a $120 million primary dividend to be paid to SAIF’s policyholders, and a $40 million safety performance dividend to be paid based on each policyholder’s safety results.  The repayment figures do not include state agencies or public universities.

 

Washington Governor Jay Inslee helped dedicated the new H.W. Hill Renewable Natural Gas Facility at the Roosevelt Regional Landfill on Wednesday.  Inslee was joined by 14th District State Senator Curtis King in giving keynote remarks at the event.  Klickitat County Commissioner David Sauter said the RNG plant, which has a sales contract in place with BP North America, is an important addition to the County’s growing renewable energy portfolio.  Inslee affirmed that in his remarks.  He also visited the site of a proposed pumped storage facility near Goldendale, met with those seeking to put data centers in Klickitat County, and saw some of the wind turbines located on the route from the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport in Dallesport to Roosevelt.

White Salmon Valley School District enrollment in the first month of the year is down slightly from one year ago.  Superintendent Jerry Lewis says last year they had the unusual experience of seeing student numbers actually go up in October before stabilizing.  He notes that pattern has occurred before, adding the number is very close to what they projected going into the school year, coming within five students.  Lewis says the district is seeing a changing demographic, with the number of students living below the poverty level decreasing in the past few years.

Oregon and Washington law enforcement officers will once again meet on the football field in the annual Pig Bowl this Saturday evening at Sid White Field on the Wahtonka campus in The Dalles.  This year’s game once again benefits three families in the Mid-Columbia facing financial challenges due to medical bills.  Michael Holloran of the Oregon State Police says they are once again taking pre-purchased points for each team, noting the community support is very strong.  Last year’s game raised $42,000.  Contributions can be made at pigbowl.net.  The game will be Saturday at 7 p.m. at Sid White Field.

The City of White Salmon has pushed back water main repairs and a moratorium on non-essential uses of water to next Tuesday, September 24.  The repairs had been originally scheduled for this Thursday, but city officials say a delay in the arrival of supplies forced the change.  The moratorium will be for 13 hours starting at 8 a.m. on September 24.  The water moratorium does not affect essential uses like drinking, cooking or water for flushing toilets.  It will include irrigation, car washes, laundry, and showers.  All irrigation systems need to be turned off by Monday evening, September 23.  Restaurants and other commercial establishments that use water for their business are asked to reduce usage on the 24th where possible.  The City of White Salmon will be repairing the city’s 14-inch water main after it was discovered two weeks ago to be leaking 30 gallons per minute along Highway 141 at Bald Mountain Curves.  For additional information, contact City Administrator Pat Munyan at 509-493-1133, extension 202.

Klickitat PUD will formally dedicate the new H.W. Hill Renewable Natural Gas facility at the Roosevelt Regional Landfill on Wednesday.  Washington Governor Jay Inslee and 14th District State Senator Curtis King will be the keynote speakers during the event.  Klickitat PUD General Manager Jim Smith says this project gives them revenue diversity with a sales contract in place with BP North America to pay off the debt on the plant in five years, and in the sixth year of operation that revenue could go to reduce other costs.  Wednesday’s dedication begins at 10 a.m. at the Roosevelt facility, with tours to follow.  The PUD will hold a public open house and facility tour on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  For more details go to klickitatpud.com.