Klickitat County Commissioners learned on Tuesday that a preliminary budget for 2025 shows expected revenues are over $4.7 million below projected expenses. County Fiscal Manager Jenn Neil gave Commissioners those numbers in advance of the start of budget workshops, noting the budget assumes an 18% decrease in landfill revenues, and drops in sales tax and interest earnings. Commissioner Jacob Anderson says there will be some hard conversations needed over the next few weeks. Commissioners asked Neil for more detail on some of the cost drivers in the budget that have led to the expenses. The County has about $5 million in cash reserves along with another $5 million in emergency funds, but Commissioner Dan Christopher said he would be hard pressed to agree to dipping into those funds.
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Wasco County Approves Contract For Wildfire Defense Projects
Wasco County Commissioners approved the contract with the U.S. Forest Service for Community Wildfire Defense Fund projects which will see the County receive $5.94 million for mitigation projects over the next five years. A key part of agreement will allow the County to recruit a Wildfire Coordinator. County Planner Kelly Howsley-Glover says they are already getting interest in that position. That coordinator will do much of the outreach work as the County seeks to increase its resiliency to wildfire. Howsley-Glover noted they will begin formal recruitment once the Forest Service signs off on the agreement.
Williams Mine Fire Size Slightly Up
Size of the Williams Mine Fire northwest of Trout Lake moved up to 12,661 acres according to an update from fire officials on Wednesday morning, primarily due to a new visual mapping flight. Containment remains at 31%. Fire officials reported activity was greatly reduced near Morrison Creek after extensive water applications by air on Monday and a few showers early Tuesday. Hot areas continued to burn, but at a lower intensity. Fire crews took advantage of that to complete improvements on the South Climb Trail, preparing it for use as a control line if needed. A helicopter reconnaissance flight on Tuesday saw a few areas with smoke, but most were in the far interior.
Not Much Change On Whisky Creek Fire
Not much change reported on the Whisky Creek Fire southeast of Cascade Locks. Acreage burned ticked up slightly to 2,097 acres, primarily with minor movement on the fire’s edge in the east fork of Herman Creek. Containment stayed at 25%. Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 12 Operations Section Chief Kurt Ranta said they are beginning some new work at the southeast edge of the fire. Light fire suppression repair continues while maintaining the integrity of the firelines that may still be needed this season.
CGCC To Continue In Metallica Scholars Program
Columbia Gorge Community College announced it will enter into its fourth year with the Metallica Scholars Initiative. Launched in ten colleges in 2019 in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges, the heavy metal band Metallica started the program to promote and support trades-based education. Unlike a traditional scholarship that provides money toward tuition, Metallica Scholars are given a kit containing a set of high-quality tools that they will need to start practicing their chosen trade. This year, the Metallica Scholars Initiative will have a presence in 60 colleges across all 50 states and Guam. CGCC Vice-President of Instructional Services Jarrett Gilbert says to date, over 100 CGCC students in Construction Technology, Electro-Mechanical Technology, Advanced Manufacturing & Fabrication, and Aviation Maintenance Technology have been awarded $157,305 in tools, protective gear, and other equipment.
TD Art Center To Observe 65th Anniversary On Saturday
The Dalles Art Center will observe its 65th anniversary this Saturday. Center Executive Director Ellen Woods Potter say their roots trace back to the official incorporation of The Dalles Art Club, which would eventually become The Dalles Art Association. Potter says a few years after that, the Center moved into its current home at 220 East 4th Street, a former Carnegie Library. This Saturday’s anniversary celebration will include the unveiling of the School of Fish paper salmon that kids in the community have worked on this summer, birthday cake, the “Swimming in Saltwater” exhibit by Pendleton artist Nika Blasser, and a raffle for a hand-blown glass fish by artist Andy Nichols. The celebration will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
September 3 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Boys Soccer
Hood River Valley 4, Mountainside 2
Girls Soccer
Hood River Valley 8, Pendleton 0
The Dalles 1, North Bend 0
Volleyball
Centennial def. Hood River Valley 25-14, 25-7, 25-11
Echo def. South Wasco 25-9, 25-18, 25-12
Heppner def. South Wasco 25-22, 25-16, 25-14
North Clackamas Christian def. Sherman 25-12, 25-15, 25-14
Oak Canyon Fire At 15,000 Acres; 25% Containment
The Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center says the Oak Canyon Fire along the Wasco/Sherman County line north of Highway 216 is now mapped at 15,000 acres, and is at 25% containment. The dispatch center said air resources were very effective on Tuesday. Four helicopters, one air attack, and four fire bosses and scoopers were used in the suppression effort. The center also said all containment lines are holding. Additional engines and a hotshot crew have been ordered. Two outbuildings were damaged by the fire. The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday issued a Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuation advisory from the Tygh Ridge/Highway 197 intersection directly due east to 60833 Tygh Ridge Road to include Hulse Road. That joined advisories issued Monday including placing all of Conroy Road up to 1 mile east and the west side of Conroy Road north of Highway 216 on Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation alerts. The Macks Canyon Recreation Area on the Deschutes River is also at Level 3. Level 2 “Get Set” evacuation advisories are in place from the Canyon Road and Highway 216 junction due east to the Deschutes River and south to Oak Springs Road to the Deschutes, and milepost 1 to milepost 3 on the north side of Highway 216. The Bureau of Land Management has closed all of the land it administers on the east side of the Deschutes River from the intersection of the Lower Deschutes Access Road and Highway 216 downstream to Macks Canyon, and on the west side from Oak Springs Fish Hatchery downstream to Craft Canyon. All boating in segment 3 of the Deschutes River is closed, while it is allowed from segment 4 but with no launching from the Macks Canyon boat ramp.
Whisky Creek Fire Still At 25% Containment
The Whisky Creek Fire southeast of Cascade Locks remains listed at 2,092 acres, and containment at 25%. Despite cool and moist weather on Monday, the fire continued to creep in surface fuels and deep duff layers in the east fork of Herman Creek. Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 12 Operations Section
Chief Kurt Ranta said weather conditions in the fire area Monday prevented an aerial survey of the western portion of the fire. Light fire suppression will continue where feasible while maintaining the integrity of the firelines. Resource advisors will assess remaining fire suppression tasks to minimize impacts to natural resources. Water tenders, graders, excavators, and a handcrew are arriving to carry out specialized repair activities and to replace those reaching the end of their 14-day assignment.
Williams Mine Fire Continues Spread In Morrison Creek Area
Size of the Williams Mine Fire northwest of Trout Lake moved up to 12,161 acres according to an updated released by fire officials on Tuesday morning. Containment remains at 31%. The fire continued to spread on Monday in the Mt. Adams Wilderness near Morrison Creek, consuming downed logs and other fuels on the ground with gusty winds pushing the fire to the east. The fire has crossed Morrison Creek, but is west of the South Climb Trail. Scooper airplanes and a helicopter dropped water on the fire to slow its spread, while a strategic firing operation was conducted to consume fuels around the Morrison Shelter, which reduced the intensity of the fire when it reached that area. A hotshot crew from LaGrande has arrived to help prepare the South Climb Trail for use as a control line. Fire officials say some people continue to enter the closed areas on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, endangering themselves and fire personnel working on the fire. Security guards are now staffing the roadblocks 24 hours a day. Violators who enter the closure are subject to fines up to $5,000 and up to six months imprisonment.