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Crowded Commission Race Highlights Wasco County Ballot

Posted on by mbailey

It’s going to be a crowded field seeking Position 2 on the Wasco County Commission during the May primary election.  Five candidates had filed for the seat as the deadline for declaring candidacy passed on Tuesday.  Two are currently on The Dalles City Council:  Dan Richardson and Darcy Long.  The other three candidates are Jeff Justesen, Brian Lauterbach, and John McElheran.  Incumbent Steve Kramer had earlier announced he was not seeking re-election.  There will be also be a contested race for Wasco County District Attorney, with Special Deputy District Attorney Kara Davis opposed by Travis Marston, an attorney from Ashwood in Jefferson County.  Other Wasco County offices on the ballot feature only one candidate, including Lane Magill to remain as Sheriff, Jill Amery as Assessor, and Elijah Preston as Treasurer, and Chrissy Zaugg is the only candidate for Clerk.

 

Only One Contested Ballot In Hood River County

Posted on by mbailey

There will be only one contested office in Hood River County during the May primary election.  That will be for the District 4 seat on the County Commission, with Brian Merz, Chad Muenzer, and Albert Nance the three candidates.  Les Perkins has resigned that position after slightly over 23 years to take a spot on the Oregon Public Utility Commission, and the rest of the Commission will be appointing a replacement to serve out the rest of Perkins’ term.  County Commission Chair Jennifer Euwer and District 2 Commissioner Arthur Babitz are unopposed.  Matt English is unopposed to remain as Sheriff, and current Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis is the only candidate on the ballot to succeed current D.A. Carrie Rasmussen, who decided not to seek re-election.

Lengthy List Of Congressional Options On Ballot

Posted on by mbailey

The line to succeed retiring Oregon 3rd District Congressman Earl Blumenauer is long, with seven Democrats and three Republicans running in the primary.  The Democrats are Susheela Jayapal, Maxine Dexter, Ricardo Barajas, Nolan Bylenga, Michael Jonas, Eddy Morales, and Rachel Lydia Rand.  The GOP candidates include Joanna Harbour, Gary Dye, and Teresa Orwig.  Incumbent 2nd District Congressman Cliff Bentz is opposed in the Republican primary by Jason Beebe, while Dan Ruby and Steve William Laible are vying for the Democratic nomination.  In area legislative races, incumbent Jeff Helfrich is unopposed for the Republican nomination for Oregon House District 52, while Nick Walden Poublon is the only filed Democrat on the ballot.  In District 57, incumbent Republican Greg Smith is being challenged in the primary by Raymond Akers, with no Democrat filing for the seat.  Senate District 29 sees four Republicans looking to replace the retiring Bill Hansell.  They are Jim Doherty, Dave Drotzmann, Andy Huwe, and Todd Nash.  There is no Democratic candidate.

 

Kramer On Wildfire Hazard Map Rules Committee

Posted on by mbailey

Wasco County Commissioner Steve Kramer is serving on a rule-making committee for the Oregon Wildfire Hazard Map.  Kramer says the group held its first meeting last week, but it has a goal of finishing up by mid-April.  This is a re-start of a plan that met with public pushback a couple of years ago.  Kramer says once the rulemaking group finishes its work, there will be more opportunities for public feedback.  Kramer did say one of the challenges for the committee is considering how agricultural and irrigated lands get classified on the map.

Sturgeon Retention Ends In John Day Pool

Posted on by mbailey

Thursday will be the last day to retain sturgeon in the John Day Pool of the mainstem Columbia River, from John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam and adjacent tributaries.  Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon made the decision Wednesday after determining that harvest guidelines in this reach will be met soon. The projected kept catch in John Day Pool through March 14 is 99 fish, which is 94 percent of the guideline.  Sturgeon anglers should also be aware that a retention season is not planned this year in the lower river below Bonneville Dam, as surveys found low numbers of legal-size fish.  Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing remains open in the mainstem, except all angling for sturgeon is prohibited from May 1 to August 31 within sanctuary areas below each of the dam tailraces.

Mt. Hood Forest Selects Concession Companies

Posted on by mbailey

Mt. Hood National Forest has selected two companies to operate and maintain 57 of its campgrounds, day use sites, and rental cabins under a special use permit beginning as early as this year.  Starting this summer, Alaska Recreational Management will operate recreation sites within five of the six concession offerings, including campgrounds and day use sites near Highway 26, Highway 216, Forest Road 46, and Forest Road 48.  These sites span the Clackamas River, Zigzag, and Barlow Ranger Districts.  Northwest River Guides will manage recreation sites along the Clackamas River, as it follows Highway 224.  They will begin operations in 2025 as campgrounds continue to be repaired and reconstructed following the devastating Riverside Fire.  The 5-year permit term begins in 2024 with the option to extend an additional 5 years.

March 12 Prep Sports Roundup

Posted on by mbailey

Baseball

Hudson’s Bay 17, Columbia 12:  Ben Borton had two hits and scored four runs for the Bruins, but it wasn’t enough as Hudson’s Bay came back from a 10-4 deficit in the second inning.

 

Boys Golf

Hood River Valley’s John Olsen shot a 79 and teammate Davis Kerr fired an 81 for a one-two finish as the Eagles topped Pendleton and The Dalles in a three-school tournament at Indian Creek Golf Course.

 

Boys Lacrosse

Hood River Valley 6, Camas 4

Hood River URA Approves Waterfront Indebtedness Increase

Posted on by mbailey

The Hood River Urban Renewal Agency board approved increasing the maximum authorized indebtedness of the Waterfront Urban Renewal District by $2.15 million to cover the potential costs of replacement of the aging stormwater line on the Waterfront that collapsed in 2019.  Urban Renewal Administrator Will Norris noted urban renewal funds are the only locally controlled source of funds for this project without using the general or stormwater funds.  Some board members were concerned about making the move after telling other taxing districts the Waterfront District was going to be closed out as the Westside Urban Renewal District is put together.  But URA board member and Mayor Paul Blackburn said it was critical to get infrastructure needs taken care of.  The URA board also passed a resolution stating once the stormwater project is fully funded, surplus monies will revert back to the taxing districts.

Gloria Center Construction Finished; MCCAC To Start Moving In

Posted on by mbailey

Mid-Columbia Community Action Council says construction of The Gloria Center on West 7th in The Dalles is complete, and Community Action will begin moving in later this week with the intention on beginning to offer services there on April 1.  The Gloria Center is designed to be a one-stop resource hub for those dealing with poverty, houselessness and housing instability in the region.  The six other agencies that will headquarter out of the Gloria Center plan to move in by the middle of this year.  Those include Mid-Columbia Center for Living, the Oregon Human Development Corporation, Nch’I Wana Housing, the Oregon Department of Human Services, the Columbia Gorge Health Council, Bridges to Health, and One Community Health’s “La Clinica” Mobile Medical Unit.  Community Action will close its current office at 312 East 4th on April 1, and open its Gloria Center location on 2505 West 7th on the same date.  A grand opening event is planned for May 31.

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