As Wasco County and the state of Oregon continue to seek funding for a streamlined, no-cost debris removal program for properties affected by the Rowena Fire, Opt-In/Right of Entry Permit Packages are being distributed to those who choose to participate in the free program. The Opt-In/Right of Entry permit grants Wasco County and its designated contractor permission to access your property to perform the cleanup, which includes removing ash, burned structures, and other fire-generated waste. As a condition of the permit, there is and “Assignment of Rights/Claims” form, assigning to the State of Oregon your rights against any potentially liable third party for damages, to the extent of the actual cost of the debris removal. This does not assign your rights to make claims for other costs or cleanup activities not part of this contract. There are additional pages to collect information about your property, such as the location of basements, septic tanks, and any vehicles/boats you want removed. The permit forms must be completed by next Monday to take part in the Phase 2 Debris Removal Program. The forms are available through wascocounty.org. This is a voluntary program. Those who have questions or require assistance with filling out the forms should contact a Recovery Coordinator as soon as possible at (541) 298-5131 Ext. 200.
Category: Uncategorized
Hood River Warming Shelter Opens
Mid-Columbia Community Action Council opened the 24-bed Hood River Warming Shelter on 1733 Oak Street Monday morning. The Hood River Shelter is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is open throughout the winter season until March 2026. Warming Shelter placements are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and there is not a waitlist. Shelter guest intakes take place from 9 a.m. to 4 pm. on weekdays throughout the season, as bed availability allows. Wraparound services for each client are engaged after initial intake paperwork is completed. Warming supplies are available at MCCAC offices weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mid-Columbia Community Action offices are at The Gloria Center on 2505 West 7th in The Dalles and on 606 State Street, Suite 1B, in Hood River. MCCAC will operate an emergency shelter at The Gloria Center in The Dalles during severe weather events, as staffing and volunteer capacity allows.
Port of HR Planning Session Tuesday
The Port of Hood River Commission will hold its semi-annual planning worksession on Tuesday. Port Executive Director Kevin Greenwood says they have a lengthy list of topics to discuss. Greenwood says the panel is looking at developing aspects of the Port that have been underdeveloped. He added there will be discussion on best use of the $3.4 million the Port will generate from the sale of eleven acres at Lower Hanel Mill to Amazon. That sale is not yet final, and is currently in a due diligence phase. The planning worksession will begin around 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon at the Port of Hood River offices, immediately following a planned executive session at 1:30 p.m.
Small Fruits Conference In The Dalles This Week
The Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research Conference will be Tuesday and Wednesday at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. The Center is a partnership of researchers and stakeholders in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The organization was established to increase the sustainability and economic productivity of berry, grape, and wine industries in the Pacific Northwest. Executive Director Julie Pond told the Pacific Northwest Ag Network that research dollars used by the Center over the last 30 years has shown a good return on investment for the region. Pond added Steve Mangle, founder of Innov8.ag, will be the keynote speaker, talking about turning data into dollars.
Starlight Parade Sign-Ups Continue Through Friday
The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce is continuing to take entries for the upcoming Starlight Parade on November 28. Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says they are taking entries through the end of the week. This year’s Starlight Parade theme is ”The Lights! The Sights! The Parade Tonight!”…an Ode to Dr. Seuss where imagination meets illumination. Pick your favorite Dr.Seuss character, story, or movie-then deck out your trucks and trailers with
fun, giggles, cheer, and many lights for this year’s theme. To sign up to be a part of the Starlight Parade, go to thedalleschamber.com before Friday.
November 14-15 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Oregon Class 4A Girls Soccer Championship
Marist 2, The Dalles 0: The Spartans won their second straight 4A title while denying the Riverhawks an unbeaten season. After a scoreless first half, Piper Paslay scored in the 45th minute off a corner kick to give Marist the lead. Libby McLaughlin scored on a penalty kick in the 59th minute for the final margin. Marist was dominant on the day, outshooting The Dalles 28-7 with 16 of those shots on goal. Riverhawk goalkeeper Olivia Prado kept her team in the game with 14 saves. The best chance for The Dalles came early in the contest, when Lilyana Gonzalez rang a shot off of the crossbar.
Oregon Class 1A 8-Man Football Quarterfinal
Dufur 36, Perrydale 6: The Rangers will play Crosspoint Christian in a semifinal game on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Summit High School in Bend.
Oregon Class 1A 6-Man Football Quarterfinal
Sherman 26, Eddyville 19: The Huskies advance to a semifinal matchup with Harper Charter on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Baker High School.
Washington Class 1A Volleyball Tournament
Columbia split four matches to finish eighth in the tournament. After being swept by Cascade Christian in the first round, the Bruins then had straight sets wins of their own against Lakeside and Annie Wright in the consolation round, before falling to The Bear Creek School 21-25, 17-25, 25-14, 25-21, 16-14 in the seventh place match.
MCCAC & WAGAP Warn Of Service Delays
Mid-Columbia Community Action and Washington Gorge Action Programs on Thursday warned that critical programs serving thousands of low-income residents across the Mid-Columbia region could be delayed because of the extended government shutdown that ended on Wednesday. Both rely on federal funding to provide programs for individuals and families facing financial hardship. Leaders of both agencies say that because of the shutdown, many of these programs will likely be forced to pause for an unforeseeable amount of time while waiting for contracts to administer services. Specifically, the Community Services Block Grant provides core operational support that enables both agencies to provide a range of other programs, including the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program. For WAGAP, block grant funds support nutrition assistance programs and the Community Youth Center, while for MCCAC they support housing programs and utility assistance. The two agencies are joining other Community Action Agencies across the country to urge Congress and the President to expedite contracts and ensure the timely administration of the Community Services Block Grant.
Gorge Commission Delays Vote On Natural Disaster Amendment
The Columbia River Gorge Commission delayed for 30 days a vote on a proposed management plan amendment to make it easier for victims of natural disasters in the National Scenic Area like last summer’s Rowena and Burdoin fires to rebuild, to allow more input from tribes in the region. It came after a lengthy public hearing that did include a number of suggestions for changes to the amendment. Forest Service Supervisor Donna Mickley told the panel without the time for the tribal input, it would be difficult for her to get concurrence from the Secretary of Agriculture for the amendment. Wasco County representative Rodger Nichols emphasized to the rest of the Commission he didn’t want to see any further delay beyond the 30 days. Klickitat County representative Valerie Fowler echoed that, calling for a decision to occur in December and give those impacted by the summer fires a timeline they can depend on. The Commission plans to meet on December 16 to take a vote.
Tygh Valley Man Arrested In Grocery Outlet Burglary Case
A Tygh Valley man has been arrested in connection with a burglary over two weeks ago at Grocery Outlet in The Dalles. According to The Dalles Police Department, detectives on Wednesday served a search warrant in Tygh Valley and arrested a 30-year-old man during an interview in The Dalles. The man is charged with second degree burglary, aggravated theft in the first degree, and second degree criminal mischief. He was booked into the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility, and released pending further court proceedings. The burglary occurred at about 10:45 p.m. the evening of October 26. The suspect was gone when officers responded, but the statement said an extensive investigation led to a suspect being identified.
Skamania County Disabling Flock Cameras
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says that due to a recent court decision regarding Flock-generated footage and public records request access, it will have the six Flock cameras within the county disabled. A judge in Washington has ruled the Flock data is eligible for public records request and therefore accessible to anyone. In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office said that although the Flock system has been beneficial in investigations for both Skamania County and surrounding agencies, the court decision is a threat to public safety, allowing access to anyone and extending far beyond the policy parameters set forth by the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office for their own personnel. The Flock contract with Skamania County extends through December 2026 and the infrastructure will remain in place until the termination of the contract. However, the cameras and license plate reader technology will be disabled.