A Hood River teenager has been taken into custody and a man is still being sought in the shooting death of a 21-year-old man in the area of 1695 Oak Street in Hood River in the early morning hours of January 17. The Hood River Police Department says the 16-year-old male was arrested on Wednesday, and booked and lodged at NORCOR on second degree murder, first degree manslaughter, and other charges in the death of Yahir Castillo-Alvarez of Hood River. Police are also looking for the public’s help in locating a second suspect, 30-year-old Noel Hernandez of Hood River, who is wanted on second degree murder and first degree manslaughter charges. Police advised the public not to approach Hernandez and to contact law enforcement with any information. Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact Hood River Police Department Detective Ben Oka at 541-387-5257, or by email at b.oka@cityofhoodriver.gov.
Category: Uncategorized
Strawberry Mountain Boil Water Order Lifted
The boil water order for the Strawberry Mountain pressure zone in White Salmon was lifted Thursday morning. Required water quality testing has been completed, and results confirm the water is safe to use for drinking, cooking, and food preparation. Normal water use may resume. The City of White Salmon says a malfunction in the water system on Tuesday led to service being temporarily disrupted for customers within that zone. Because the Strawberry Mountain reservoir needed to be refilled, water quality testing was required to ensure the water is safe for consumption. Other areas of White Salmon are not impacted. For a detailed list of addresses in the Strawberry Mountain pressure zone, go to whitesalmonwa.gov.
January 28 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Basketball
Columbia 47, Seton Catholic 45
Boys Wrestling
Hillsboro 60, Hood River Valley 10
Strawberry Mountain Boil Order Continues Through Friday
The boil water order for the Strawberry Mountain pressure zone in White Salmon has been extended through Friday. The City of White Salmon says a malfunction in the water system on Tuesday led to service being temporarily disrupted for customers within that zone. Because the Strawberry Mountain reservoir needed to be refilled, required water quality testing must be completed to ensure the water is safe for consumption. As a precaution, residents in the affected area are advised to boil all water used for drinking, food preparation, and cooking through Friday. Updated test results are expected to be available by 5:00 p.m. Friday. Other areas of White Salmon are not impacted. For a detailed list of addresses in the Strawberry Mountain pressure zone, go to whitesalmonwa.gov.
HR Council To Focus Bond Effort On Housing & Police Station
The Hood River City Council has chosen to focus on housing and a new police station for a possible November bond measure, and embark on a public education and engagement plan in advance of making final decisions in the summer. Urban Renewal Administrator Will Norris told the Council how they educate residents on the two topics might involve different approaches, with the police station ask more straight forward to illustrate than the housing request. The City’s plan is to conduct more polling in the summer after the education and engagement effort, and then determine whether to put the two options in one measure, or perhaps split them up. The working bond measure about for each is $9 million.
The Dalles Council Sets Dog License Fees
The Dalles City Council approved an updated municipal fee schedule this week, and it includes the cost of a dog license included in an ordinance passed last month. Cost for a one-year license will be $35 for unaltered dog, $25 for a dog that has been spayed or neutered, and $15 for altered dogs owned by military members and those over the age of 65. Mayor Rich Mays noted proceeds from the license will go to the Columbia Gorge Humane Society for shelter services. City officials added they support access to low cost spay and neuter services and encourages residents who need financial assistance to utilize the City’s low-cost spay and neuter program.
Point In Time Count Underway
The annual Point In Time count of homeless individuals in Klickitat, Skamania, Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties is on-going this week. The count is required by the federal Housing and Urban Development, and conducted locally by the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative. Mid-Columbia Community Action is doing the count on the Oregon side of the Gorge, while Washington Gorge Action Programs handles it on the north side of the Columbia River. WAGAP Executive Director Jennifer Pauletto says the count plays a large role in funding decisions. She adds it also helps the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative to develop policy and goals for housing advocacy in the area.
HR County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Receives Snowcat In State Program
The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office is one of three search and rescue agencies in the state to receive a new state-of-the-art snowcat through the state of Oregon’s Preparedness and Incident Repsonse Equipment program. Sheriff Matt English says the specialized vehicle, designed for austere environments and extreme winter conditions is an improvement over the County’s 40-year-old snowcat. He also says it is a necessary piece of equipment for the search and rescue work they do on Mt. Hood, helping to transport personnel, those who are injured, and equipment. What the new vehicle has the old one does not is the ability to plow snow in front of it. Equipped with climate-controlled, insulated cabs, the snowcats are capable of safely transporting responders and assisting with the movement of hypothermic patients during severe winter weather events. The snowcat Hood River County received in the program has a retail value of $350,000.
Local Police To Take Part In Seatbelt & Child Safety Enforcement
Both the Hood River and The Dalles Police Departments will be taking part in a statewide seatbelt and child safety enforcement effort beginning this Monday and running through February 8. The federally funded campaign is design to educate the public on Oregon’s seat belt and child passenger safety laws, with an emphasis on protecting young children. Oregon law was updated in 2017 to require children to ride in a rear-facing seat until at least two years of age, with those over two riding in an approved car seat with a harness or a booster seat until they reach the age of eight years old or are they are at least four feet nine inches tall, and until the adult seat belt fits correctly. In 2023, the lack of seat belt or child restraint was a contributing factor in 111 out of 365 motor vehicle occupant fatalities in Oregon.
Wasco Corrections Warns Of Phone Scam
Wasco County Community Corrections says it has been made aware of a phone scam targeting family members of loved ones currently in custody at NORCOR. Scammers are fraudulently contacting family members claiming they are from the jail and can secure the release of an adult in custody in exchange for money. In these calls, the scammer falsely states that the inmate will be released to GPS monitoring if payment is made. Callers have also threated that the sentence may be increased or negatively impacted if the money is not paid. Those claims are false. Wasco County Community Corrections says staff does not contact family over the phone to secure a release, modify custody status, or arrange GPS monitoring. Any legitimate release decisions or custody changes are handled thorough official legal and judicial processes- not through phone calls to family members. Family members are urged not to send money, provide personal information, or engage further with anyone making these claims. If you receive this kind of call, contact the Wasco County Sheriff’s office at 541-506-2570 or non-emergency at 541-296-5454.