The second annual Columbia Gorge Prescribed Fire Training Exchange is underway in Trout Lake. The Columbia Gorge TREX is a collaborative interagency training program that aims to grow prescribed fire workforce capacity while reducing wildfire risk. The event will bring over 30 fire practitioners and trainees from across the region to the Trout Lake area to engage in peer-to-peer learning and hands-on prescribed fire training. It’s hosted by Mt. Adams Resource Stewards of Glenwood. The first week of the event, from September 22 to 28, will largely include classroom training sessions on prescribed fire operations, smoke management, fire behavior and ecology, and other relevant topics. Later in the week and throughout October, participants will perform prescribed fires on lands owned by the Forest Service, Mt. Adams Resource Stewards, Washington DNR and Columbia Land Trust, as conditions allow. Program officials say they will be providing updates intermittently over the next few weeks, and will particularly focus our outreach on days that we intend to burn.
Category: Uncategorized
Translation Work On Yasui Papers Completed
The Oregon Historical Society has completed work to translate a large selection of the Japanese material in the Yasui family papers, a manuscript collection preserved in OHS’s research library. Dating from 1873 to 2023 and crossing five generations, the Yasui family papers consists of over 20 linear feet of personal correspondence, original family documents and diaries, research files and historical writings, advocacy records, and photographs — about one-fifth of which is written in pre–World War II Japanese that is no longer widely spoken or written. Homer Yasui donated the family papers to the Oregon Historical Society in late 2022. OHS also cares for the Yasui Brothers business records, a large manuscript collection also donated by Homer Yasui. Together, the collections document the experiences and contributions of Hood River businessman and noted community leader Masuo Yasui, Homer’s father, and his family during the first four decades of the twentieth century. Over the coming years, OHS plans to digitize additional English-language documents and photographs from the Yasui family papers. An exhibition focused on the Yasui collections at OHS is in development and will open in June 2025.
September 20-21 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Football
Hood River Valley 39, Aloha 14
LaCenter 61, Columbia 0
Stevenson 47, Fort Vancouver 14
DeSales Catholic (Walla Walla) 60, Sherman 36
Waitsburg 44, Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 36 (4 OT)
South Wasco 40, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 6
Goldendale 48, River View 7
Dufur 80, Chiloquin 36
Cross Country
The Dalles won the boys’ title in the Class 4A to 1A race at the Northwest Classic in Eugene. Caleb Caldwell, Tyson Long, and Aiden Preston all finished in the top twenty individually. Alana Casady’s fifth place finish paced The Dalles girls to a fourth place finish in the girls 4A to 1A run.
Volleyball
The Dalles def. Newport and Baker, and lost to Burns at the North Marion Tournament
North Clackamas Christian def. Dufur 25-18, 25-10, 25-9
Dufur def. Falls City 25-22, 25-23, 25-20
Boys Soccer
Grandview Christian Academy 3, Trout Lake-Glenwood 0
Girls Soccer
Columbia 3, LaCenter 2
Mountain View (WA) 8, Columbia 0
Goldendale 3, Mabton 3
Committee In Place To Develop Federal Street Plaza
A committee has been established to discuss and develop a plaza on Federal Street between 1st and 2nd Streets. It would be right next to the former Tony’s Town and Country property. The plaza has been one of Mayor Rich Mays’ goals for a number of years, and he hopes it can move forward quickly. The committee is tasked with making recommendations to the City Council on the project’s design, construction, and costs. Additionally, the committee will identify and collaborate with City staff on related grant opportunities to support the project’s funding and implementation.
Sherman County Fire Brought Under Control
Emergency responders and farmers brought a fire that originated at the Nish gravel pit east of Wasco in Sherman County on Thursday evening under control before it could cross Highway 206. The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office says high winds caused the fire to spread rapidly from Highway 206 milepost 4 at Nish to milepost 7 at Hay Canyon. The Sheriff’s Office indicates the fire appears to have been caused by a spark from individuals shooting at the gravel pit. Those people tried to put out the fire and called 9-1-1 for help. The Sheriff’s Office added the individuals met with law enforcement and have cooperated fully. Once the investigation is complete, it will go to the Sherman County District Attorney for review.
September 19 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Volleyball
The Dalles def. Crook County 25-27, 27-25, 23-25, 28-26, 15-13
Wilsonville def. Hood River Valley 25-12, 25-23, 25-21
LaCenter def. Columbia 25-7, 25-8, 25-14
Stevenson def. Kalama 3-2
Sherman def. Bickleton 25-23, 25-17, 26-24
South Wasco def. Trout Lake-Glenwood 25-9, 25-9, 25-18
Ione def. Horizon Christian 25-10, 25-4, 25-12
Dufur def. Lyle-Wishram 25-5, 25-4, 25-7
Goldendale def. Granger 3-0
Boys Soccer
Hood River Valley 4, Ridgeview 1
The Dalles 5, Seaside 1
Central Christian 8, Horizon Christian 0
Girls Soccer
Hood River Valley 5, St. Helens 0
Kalama 8, Stevenson 1
Mennealy Arrested
The man accused of starting the Larch Creek Fire in July has been arrested. The Wasco County District Attorney’s and Sheriff’s offices said the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrested 51-year-old Christopher Mennealy on a warrant out of Wasco County on Wednesday without incident. He is currently lodged in the Jefferson County Jail and being held on $20,000 bail, pending arraignment. Mennealy was scheduled to be appear for arraignment on a Grand Jury indictment on Monday morning, but did not show, leading to the arrest warrant. Mennealy was indicted by the Grand Jury earlier this month for second degree arson and reckless burning. He’s accused of starting the Larch Creek Fire near Friend on July 9. District Attorney Matthew Ellis says Mennealy was squatting on another person’s property when the fire began. Within ten days, the fire burned an estimated 18,286 acres, with suppression costs totaling over $14 million.
Wasco County Commission Briefed On Solar Project
Wasco County Commissioners were briefed on a solar energy project planned for the Bakeoven area that is currently in the planning stages. Savion Energy, a Shell Group portfolio company, has applied with the Oregon Energy Facilities Siting Council for a permit to construct an 800 Megawatt solar farm that may include up to 800 Megawatts of battery energy storage. Savion Development Director Tim Conboy told the Commission with its application currently under review, they are working on the details of the project. Company officials don’t expect a decision from the state on a permit until the end of 2025. They estimate the earliest construction would begin is in 2028.
WS School Enrollment Up By 20; Primarily At 9th Grade Level
Enrollment in the White Salmon Valley School District is essentially flat from last year, but up by 20 students from what was projected heading into this school year. Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says they projected 1,042 students, but as of Friday were at 1,062. Polkinghorn says the jump is concentrated on the freshman class at Columbia High School, which had 15 more students than expected. Polkinghorn adds they don’t have a specific reason why they saw the new 9th graders. He does say at school the size of Columbia, adding 15 new students in one grade does bring challenges for staff to keep class sizes where they want to.
WAGAP To Schedule LIEAP Appointments Beginning October 1
Washington Gorge Action Programs will begin taking calls to schedule appointments for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program in Skamania and Klickitat counties on October 1 at 8 a.m. The program is provided by the Washington State Department of Commerce. It covers all types of heating, including propane, electric, gas, oil, coal, and wood. To qualify for this program, a participant household’s average monthly income must be at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level. For those needing energy assistance in Skamania County, call 509-427-8229 starting October 1 to be put on the appointment waiting list. For those in Klickitat County, contact the Energy Assistance Program starting October 1 at 509-493-2662 or 800-755-1192, extension 202. The phone lines begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. on October 1. Any calls received before that time will not be accepted for the appointment waiting list.