The Wasco County Commission gave its support for a concept to locate a new station for the Mosier Fire District at the location of a County road shop at the intersection of State and Carroll roads. The Mosier Fire District currently has three small stations that do not provide proper vehicle and equipment storage, a decontamination station, or classroom and training areas. Mosier Fire Captain Connor McKibben told the Commission a new station would lead to better responses to emergencies. The Mosier district is proposing using about 25 to 30 percent of the property for the station through a long-term lease or easement. County Public Works Director Arthur Smith said there are several questions that would need to be answered, but he generally supported the idea at its current level of impact to the road shop. Commissioners supported the concept to allow more study of what would need to take place for the idea to work for both the fire district and the County.
Category: Uncategorized
Columbia Gateway URA Approves SDC Assistance Program
The Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency board approved a commercial systems development charge assistance program for small businesses locating in existing buildings within the URA district in downtown The Dalles. Assistance would support eligible redevelopment and productive reuse while preserving the City’s SDC payment obligations imposed to mitigate impacts of development on public infrastructure. URA Manager Jacob Anderson told the URA board this program is specifically designed for small businesses. The proposed maximum is 100% of the two largest positive net SDC categories plus 75% of each remaining positive category, capped at $15,000 per Project. The program was made to be retroactive to the start of the current fiscal year on July 1.
Bridge Remains Serviceable, But Lift Span Seating In Need Of Repair
A bi-annual inspection of the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge shows it remains serviceable with on-going maintenance, but there is an immediate need to repair the lift span not properly seating. Will Strehler of the engineering firm Burgess and Niple told the Port of Hood River Commission most elements of the bridge received fair to good ratings, but the lift span issue needs to be addressed, noting the issue is at the North tower. He recommends an in-depth structural, mechanical, and operational review of the lift span by engineering specialists to determine the breadth and depth of the needed repair. Strehler also recommended an annual bridge washing to help prevent corrosion.
Drop Box To Be Installed In Tygh Valley
Wasco County is going to add a new ballot drop box in Tygh Valley. It will be located at the Tygh School Community Center. County Commissioners approved the agreement for its placement on Wednesday morning. County Clerk Christy Zaugg says County staff will do the work to put the drop box in place, including security measures. Zaugg also told Commissioners they are encouraging voters to use drop boxes, noting they cannot control how long it takes for ballots to get to them through the mail. Wasco County also has drop boxes at the Wasco County Courthouse, city halls in Dufur, Maupin, and Mosier, and at the Three Warriors Market in Simnasho.
October 20 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
Hood River Valley 4, Milwaukie 1: The Eagles won for the first time in Northwest Oregon Conference play this season.
The Dalles 5, Molalla 1: The Riverhawks maintain a narrow one point lead in the Tri-Valley Conference over North Marion with two games to play.
Girls Soccer
Hood River Valley 4, Milwaukie 0: HRV is now one of three teams unbeaten in the NWOC at 3-0, heading into a matchup with one of the others as Putnam visits Henderson Stadium tomorrow night.
The Dalles 2, Molalla 0: The Riverhawks record their fourth straight shutout and 10th in eleven games overall.
Columbia 8, Castle Rock 0
Seton Catholic 8, Stevenson 0
Oregon Episcopal 8, Trout Lake 0
Volleyball
Hood River Valley def. Milwaukie 25-16, 25-8, 25-11
The Dalles def. Estacada 25-21, 19-25, 25-9, 18-25, 15-6: The Riverhawks clinched the Tri-Valley Conference championship with the close win over the Rangers.
Echo def. Sherman 25-21, 25-17, 25-21
Columbia def. Castle Rock 3-1
Seton Catholic def. Stevenson 3-0
Cross Country
The Dalles girls rolled to an easy team title at the Valiant Invitational at Valley Catholic High School. Flamingo Ducyk finished third for the Riverhawks, while Alessandra Meza was eighth. Trout Lake’s Melody Stock was second. In the boys’ race, The Dalles was fourth, Luke Sorenson leading the Riverhawks with an individual fourth place finish.
HR County Moves Toward Side by Side Vehicle Trail
Hood River County Commissioners approved moving forward with a trail for side by side vehicles in the Northwest area of the County forest. A group of county and state agency representatives and the County’s Recreational Trail Committee developed the concept to involve 5.4 miles of recreational trail, 9.3 miles of forest road, and 13 more miles to be converted to trail including utilizing the Whiskey Creek Fire line. County Tree Farm Recreation Manager TJ Moloney says the design allows for a fire break if necessary. Moloney also noted the trail would be accessible from Kingsley and Binns Hill staging areas, and close to campgrounds. Actual development of the trail will require collaborative efforts between users, the County, and state agencies.
HR County Commission Approves Work On Parks Plan
Hood River County Commissioners approved awarding a contract to the firm GreenWorks to develop a master plan for the County parks system. County Parks and Buildings Maintenance Supervisor Matt Jordan says the intent is to put together a plan to present to the Commission in October 2027 that could then be implemented over a ten-year period. He adds along with an assessment of where they are now, there will be a study of camping demand and whether the County is meeting it, and a financial strategy. Cost of the study is not to exceed $166,348, with 75% of the funding for it coming from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s County Opportunity Grant Program.
Klickitat County Commission Gets Trout Lake Comp Plan Update
Klickitat County Commissioners received an update on continuing work on the County’s comprehensive plan for various communities centering on progress dealing with developing a vision for the Trout Lake area. County Senior Planner Evan Evangelopoulos recently discussed results of a citizen survey with the Trout Lake Community Council, and that panel is working with those answers and hopes to be finished in December. Evangelopoulos says they received 55 responses from the community on questions about lifestyle, economy, the built environment, and the natural environment. The County is currently in Phase 2 of the comprehensive plan. There will be a meeting on the plan on November 4 at 6 p.m. in the Trout Lake Grange Hall.
Bend School Shooting Hits School Officials Everywhere Hard
Like other school officials around the country, Hood River County School District Superintendent Bill Newton says news of the shooting at Bend’s Silver Rail Elementary hit hard. Newton says Hood River schools now are set up to have people enter through one main foyer and direct them to the front office before they go in to the rest of the school. He adds a 2016 bond measure led to added security measures that led to doors using card readers rather than keys, and the ability for the doors to be locked throughout the school with the push of a button. Newton says they work with various community partners to maintain emergency plans with procedures in the case of a violent attack on a school, including plans for reunifying students with their parents.
HRPD To Host Medication Take Back Event On Saturday
The Hood River Police Department will host a household medication take-back event this Saturday morning. Community Service Officer Jennifer Kendall says it’s important for medications to be disposed of properly to prevent people from using them improperly. Medications in any dosage form in their original container or sealed bag will be accepted. Items that will not be accepted include herbal remedies, vitamins, supplements, cosmetics, other personal care products, emptied medical devices, batteries, mercury-containing thermometers, sharps, illicit drugs, pet pesticide products, animal medicines, and biologics. The medication take-back event will be Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Hood River Police Department on 207 2nd Street.