The Hood River County School District has appointed Dan Barnard as the interim principal of May Street Elementary School for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. Barnard, who was initially slated to serve as assistant principal. Barnard has 19 years of experience in education, including 13 years as an elementary teacher, primarily in fourth and fifth grades. For the past four years, he has served as assistant principal at Westside Elementary. The school district will continue its search for a permanent principal for May Street, with the position expected to be posted early in the hiring season in February 2026. Additionally, the district will be posting the opening for an interim assistant principal for the 2025-2026 school year at the beginning of next week.
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12th & Thompson To Be Closed For Construction
Starting Monday, the intersection of 12th & Thompson will be closed for demolition and American with Disabilities Act construction. The intersection will be closed during working hours and reopened during the night. Closures are expected to be periodic as the phases of work commence. In other project news, contractor Crestline has installed the storm infrastructure along with adjustment of existing water meter services. The additional width of 12th St has started to take shape with the construction of multiple retaining walls allowing for future on street parking. Excavation of the north lane will commence mid to late next week between Thompson and Morton St as it is removed and rebuilt in preparation for the new curb and gutter along with the asphalt base. Concrete curb and gutter installation is scheduled to start in late July with sidewalk and driveways immediately following.
Agencies Recommend Rowena Fire Homeowners Not Do Cleanup Themselves
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Wasco County are continuing to strongly recommend property owners not perform cleanup themselves because of serious toxic hazard threats posed by burned homes and outbuildings. The agencies say burned materials are hazardous and require more than gloves and a mask to protect health. Buildings constructed before 2004 are likely to contain asbestos, which is carcinogenic. If residents do decide to their own clean-up, they should wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Wear sturdy shoes, eye goggles, heavy-duty work gloves and an N95 mask when inspecting damage, watch for hazards such as unstable structures, ash pits, smoldering debris and electrical hazards including downed power lines, and take photos of damage for insurance and recovery documentation. Also, avoid bringing ash from the outside to the inside, keep indoor spaces clean from ash, and minimize other pollutants. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is providing technical assistance and coordinating with subject matter experts to support safe debris management.
Air Quality Monitors Take Readings In Rowena
Wasco County says government contractors set up multiple air quality monitors throughout the area impacted by the Rowena Fire. The monitors captured air quality data on Wednesday to be sent for analysis by a toxicologist. Monitors were to be removed Thursday. Meanwhile, The Dalles Disposal will return to normal collection routes and service locations for its Rowena and Highway 30 customers on Friday. And there will be no Multi-Agency Resource Center event this week. Wasco County says they will resume next week.
Resolution Center Dealt Setback
The Oregon Health Authority has dealt a setback to efforts to establish a mental health and substance abuse Resolution Center in the Mid-Columbia. The proposed center has four components including residential mental health and substance abuse treatment. But Wasco County Commissioner Phil Brady says a federal rule dating back to the 1960’s preventing Medicaid funds from being used for mental health facilities unless it is sixteen beds or less, and local officials sought a waiver based on that. The proposed Resolution Center would have met that requirement, but the OHA says using one administrative structure for the facility and putting all the components on one site would not permit a waiver. Brady says it is unclear what the options are from here. He adds they are hoping federal officials will consider changing the rules, noting it is a nationwide issue that other areas are facing.
HR County Joins Calls For Special Session On Transportation
Hood River County is part of the chorus of local government officials hoping for a special session of the Oregon Legislature to put together a transportation package after the recent regular session ended without one. County Administrator Allison Williams says the transportation package is about more than the Oregon Department of Transportation. It’s also a relationship between the state, counties, and cities, and the local governments continue to fall further behind in maintaining roadways. Williams says the County is hearing concerns from citizens about the level of maintenance and safety for the roadways. She adds Hood River County is already dipping into reserves to put together its current road maintenance program.
Klickitat County Commission Approves EOZ Amendments
Klickitat County Commissioners approved amendments for its Energy Overlay Zone to deal with solar developments and battery energy storage systems. A committee and the Planning Commission made the recommendations to change industrial scale solar development and battery energy storage systems to conditional uses while a more formal ordinance is developed. Planning Director Scott Edelman says this will not stop applications for these projects, but does add a layer of review. He also said it will give the County a better chance of defending areas where such developments are prohibited when applicants go to state Energy Facilities Siting Council. Edelman added an ordinance should reach the Planning Commission for a hearing in September or October, and then would come before the County Commission.
Motorcycling Injured In Accident Near Maryhill
A motorcyclist was injured when he failed to yield the right of way to a truck and trailer at the intersection of Stonehenge Drive and Highway 14 east of Maryhill. According to a Washington State Patrol report, the 66-year-old man from Black Diamond, Washington was northbound on Stonehedge Drive at Highway 14 at around 1:20 on Tuesday afternoon. The WSP says he attempted to turn onto the highway and was struck by the westbound truck driven by a 47-year-old Hood River man. The motorcyclist was taken by LifeFlight to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland for treatment of undisclosed injuries. The truck driver was uninjured.
Search & Rescue Calls Continue Climb In Skamania County
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says it continues to see search and rescue calls increase. In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office says it handled 12 search and rescue missions in June, moving them up to 42 so far in 2025. There were a total of 54 of these calls for the entirety of 2024, and the Sheriff’s Office says it is just entering the normal busy season for search and rescue. Those missions in June ranged from helping climbers on Mt. St. Helens to a person who had a “panic attack” after becoming separated from their hiking party and needed assistance to continue down a trail. The Sheriff’s Office says the calls serve as a reminder to hike within your capabilities, pack plenty of water, tell others where you’re traveling, and always have the ten essentials: navigation tools, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire starter, repair kit and tools, nutrition, hydration, and emergency shelter.
Wy’eth Fire Stopped
Firefighters overnight stopped the forward progression of a fire near Wy’eth Campground east of Cascade Locks. Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area officials said this morning crews have just about completed a handline around the perimeter of the fire and will continue mop up, including decreasing heat in a log deck. The estimated size of the fire has been reduced to ten acres. Evacuation advisories issued on Monday night were lifted Tuesday afternoon. Multiple aircraft responded to assist in the firefighting effort soon after the fire started late Monday afternoon and moved to the northeast.