Wasco County Commissioners approved signing a pair of letters seeking support for Grasshopper Fire recovery. One is to Mt. Hood National Forest Supervisor Meta Loftsgaarden asking for the Forest Service to prioritize protection of drinking water and irrigation supplies, accelerate implementation of remaining green projects, fully utilize available tools, authorities, and partnerships, and support a coordinated recovery work plan. The other is to Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Congressman Cliff Bentz, requesting supplemental funding for the recovery work. Commission Chair Scott Hege noted the estimated recovery cost on just federal lands are nearly $50 million, and why mitigation efforts are needed. Water supplies and irrigation infrastructure are among the highest priorities. The fire affected watersheds serving Badger Improvement District and Rock Creek District Improvement Company, as well as portions of The Dalles Watershed.
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Deal Approved To Provide In-Custody Forensic Evaluation At NORCOR
Wasco County Commissioners approved a three-year agreement between Northern Oregon Regional Corrections and Northwest Forensic Institute to provide in-custody forensic evaluations for some individuals held at the regional corrections facility. Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill says this will ensure timely and high-quality professional evaluations to support judicial and corrections processes. A forensic evaluation is an impartial mental health or psychological assessment ordered by a court or legal system to answer specific legal questions rather than to provide personal therapy. Magill says the four NORCOR county sheriffs had noted inmates who need this process were experiencing long waiting times for the evaluations. The four NORCOR counties are splitting the cost of the contract.
Gorge Commission Publishes Building Handbook
The Columbia River Gorge Commission has just released a new Building in the Scenic Area Implementation Handbook. The over 60 page publication includes updated graphics, landscape setting descriptions from the Scenic Area Management Plan, a section on defensible space and fire resistant building materials and vegetation, and examples of site and grading plans. Gorge Commission Senior Land Use Planner Joanna Kaiserman says the handbook is designed to act as a guidance document. Digital copies are available at gorgecommission.org or at the Columbia River Gorge Commission office in White Salmon.
October 6 Prep Sports Roundup
Girls Soccer
LaCenter 3, Columbia 2
Castle Rock 0, Stevenson 0
Volleyball
LaCenter def. Columbia 25-14, 25-15, 17-25, and 25-13
Castle Rock def. Stevenson 3-0
Dufur def. Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 3-0: The Rangers remain unbeaten in the Big Sky Conference with their ninth straight win.
Ione-Arlington def. Horizon Christian 25-18, 25-5, 25-14
South Wasco def. Trout Lake-Glenwood 25-23, 25-18, 25-23
Boys Golf
Stevenson defeated Columbia in a nine-hole match at Elk Ridge Golf Course. The Bulldogs’ Cameron Engel was the medalist, with a two-under-par 34.
Cross Country
Columbia won the boys half and Stevenson claimed the girls win by a single point in a Trico League dual meet at Strawberry Island. Stevenson’s Colton Hollis was the individual boys’ winner, followed by four Columbia runners. Lilah Zimmerman of CHS took first place in the girls’ race, followed by a trio from Stevenson.
Body Of Missing Kayaker Recovered
The body of a man missing since Thursday when his kayak was found adrift in the Columbia River has been recovered. The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office says on Tuesday afternoon it received a report of a body in the Columbia River near the tip of the sandbar close to the Hood River Waterfront. Deputies responded and recovered the body shortly afterward. The body was identified as David Kalousdian, who was reported missing from the same general area on Thursday. An investigation determined that Kalousdian’s inflatable life vest did not have a recharge kit installed, which rendered it ineffective. Search efforts included the Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol vessel and Search & Rescue plane.
Hood River County Commission Talks Prepared Food & Beverage Tax
Hood River County Commissioners held an initial discussion with a variety of consultants on how to gauge whether a prepared food and beverage tax would be palatable to voters. Robert Whelan of EcoNorthwest told the panel he estimated a six percent tax could bring in $5.8 million for the County in 2028, with about 60 percent of that paid by visitors. They also discussed beginning a program of stakeholder outreach with an eye toward a survey on the proposal. Commissioner Arthur Babitz pointed out that when a similar measure failed in 2019, there was not an organized campaign effort for it. Both Jake Weigler of Praxis Political and Ben Patinkin of Patinkin Research Strategies said their first step would be one-on-one stakeholder conversations, moving to focus groups, and eventually polling.
Bridge Funding Answer Expected At The End Of The Year
The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority expects to learn whether it will receive a $532 million grant from the Federal Bridge Infrastructure program by the end of the year. Bridge Authority board member Jacob Anderson gave an update on the project to the Klickitat County Commission on Tuesday. Anderson said they have made it through the initial cut-off round for the grant, and are now in the final ranking round, and the agency submitted updated information for its benefit/cost analysis. Anderson noted they reached the 60% design milestone during the summer, and should have full construction ready plans by December. The goal is to be able to hit the in-water work window in 2027, to be on track to open a new bridge by the fall of 2031.
Klickitat County Advances Solid Waste Plan Update To Cities
Klickitat County Commissioners have moved the draft update of its Solid Waste and Management Plan on to the cities for approval. The plan covers four areas, including infrastructure, economic sustainability, education, and outside influences. Wendy Mifflin of the consulting firm Herrera told Commissioners many state requirements don’t kick in until a county reaches 25,000 in population, and that has been incorporated in the plan as the County nears that mark. She adds dealing with organics will need to be done with care. After the cities sign off on the plan update, it will come back to the County Commission, and then go to the Washington Department of Agriculture for final approval.
Ag Tech Convention Coming To The Northwest
An agricultural technology convention will be coming to the Pacific Northwest for the first time. FIRA USA, or the International Forum for Agricultural Robotics in the United States, will be at State Fair Park in Yakima from October 20th to the 22nd. Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center Director Brian Pearson says it is a meeting place of ag tech companies, engineers, scientists, students, and researchers, and growers can learn about the latest advances. The event goes beyond robotics into the entire range of AgTech topics, addressing the specific needs of the Pacific Northwest such as irrigation, canopy management, tillage, and more. For more information on the convention, go to FIRA-USA.com.
Goldendale Accident Injures One
One person was injured and taken to a hospital following a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Highway 97 and Broadway in Goldendale on Tuesday morning. According to the Washington State Patrol, a pickup driven by a 79-year-old Goldendale man was traveling eastbound on Broadway and attempted to cross Highway 97. The pickup struck an SUV going south on Highway 97. A passenger in the SUV, a 21-year-old man from Sunnyside, was taken to Klickitat Valley Hospital in Goldendale. The WSP says the two drivers were not injured.