In the wake of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, conservationists were relieved to learn that one of the Columbia Gorge’s fluffiest residents — the American pika — was still squeaking by. The Oregon Zoo says recent surveys show the tiny animals are making a strong comeback from the fire. Pikas are potato-sized rabbit relatives known for their distinctive, squeak-toy-like calls, and typically live on mountain slopes at elevations above 6,000 feet, but a somewhat anomalous low-elevation population is living in the Columbia Gorge. Over the past five years, biologists have been especially eager to track how pikas are faring in those areas most affected by the Eagle Creek fire. This year, Cascade Pika Watch volunteers reported pikas at 23 out of 31 sites surveyed, an increase of more than 50% since 2018. In addition to the reported increase in pikas reported this year, Cascades Pika Watch benefitted from a record number of volunteers: 168 trained citizen scientists spent 1,620 hours searching for the tiny mammals, and the effort will continue next year.
Category: Uncategorized
PUD Names Scruggs New Chief Legal Officer
Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District has selected Irene Scruggs as its new Chief Legal Officer. Scruggs will serve as general counsel to the PUD’s Board of Directors and as a key strategic leader and partner to the General Manager and executive management team with programmatic responsibilities in several key areas of the utility. Scruggs will assume the position in January of 2024. Scruggs was the Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel of the Public Power Council, the region’s largest association of consumer-owned utilities. Prior to that, Scruggs was in private practice with large firms in Portland representing business clients in commercial litigation. As Chief Legal Officer, Scruggs will support Northern Wasco PUD’s evaluation of future power supply agreements, enterprise risk management, and corporate governance.
D21 Vote In Final Stages
We are in the final hours for ballots in the North Wasco County School District 21 bond measure vote to be returned. Ballots must be postmarked on or before Tuesday’s election day, or returned to the County Courthouse or placed in authorized drop boxes at the Wasco County Courthouse or Mosier City Hall by Tuesday at 8 p.m. The Wasco County Clerk’s Office will be open to receive ballots during regular business hours on Monday and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Wasco County Chief Deputy Clerk Chrissy Zaugg says as of the end of Friday, they had received 4,946 ballots back. That’s out of 14,626 eligible voters, for a return rate of 33.82% For comparision, at this time in the 2022 general election the return rate was at 35.93%. D-21 is asking voters to approve a 30-year, 140-million dollar bond measure to build a new high school at the Wahtonka campus.
Port of TD Should Finalize Strategic Plan In November
The Port of The Dalles is now expecting to finalize its strategic plan in December. That after the Port Commission took a second read of the draft plan, and wanted to do a little more work to make sure they capture the idea of looking at redevelopment and infill within The Dalles’ urban growth boundary. Port Executive Director Andrea Klaas says at the outset, infill can be more expensive, but at the same time it takes lower-value property and increases its value and provides additional opportunities for different types of businesses. Klaas says infill and redevelopment is one of the reasons they have been looking toward the tech sector for opportunities. She notes the Port will be looking to partnerships with other agencies when looking at infill projects.
Bridge On Track To Reopen
The Port of Hood River says work is on track to reopen the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge by midnight tonight as planned. The bridge has been closed since Friday morning to allow for work to replace the bridge lift wire ropes. The Port says in addition, to take advantage of the four-day closure it scheduled additional bridge deck maintenance welding that has continued all weekend and into today. That’s to make significant and needed weld repairs to the steel grate bridge deck. The Port says several other small repair projects and bridge inspections were also taking place, adding all crews are on schedule to reopen the bridge at midnight tonight.
TD Public Works Starts “Operation Clean Leaves”
The Dalles Public Works Department is embarking on its “Operation Clean Sweep” this month to pick up leaves so they don’t block storm water catch basins and before they freeze onto the streets. Citizens in The Dalles are asked to park off the street during street sweeper work hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Do not rake leaves from your yard into the street. Compost leaves at home or put them in your yard debris container for pick-up. You can also put them in compostable paper bags and take them to The Dalles Transfer Station, where during November they will accept yard debris from City of The Dalles residential customers only at no charge weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Remove large sticks or branches from the roadway so they don’t jam the sweeper. Clear storm drains in front of your house to prevent flooding during a rainstorm.
November 3-4 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
Oregon Class 5A Quarterfinal
Hood River Valley 3, Crescent Valley 2 (OT): The Eagles will host Wilsonville for a semi-final match on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Oregon Class 4A Quarterfinal
The Dalles 2, Crook County 1: The Riverhawks will visit Cottage Grove for a semi-final match on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Girls Soccer
Oregon Class 4A Quarterfinal
North Marion 5, The Dalles 1
Cross Country
Hood River Valley’s boys were fifth at the Oregon Class 5A Cross Country Championships at Lane Community College in Eugene, falling just two points short of a trophy finish. Logan King was the top finisher for the Eagles in 21st. HRV’s girls had an eighth place finish, as the Eagles’ Syl Perrin took 15th.
The Dalles boys finished third and the girls fourth at the Oregon Class 4A Cross Country Championships in Eugene. Alaina Casady had a fourth place individual finish in the girls’ run, while the Riverhawks’ Tyson Long took tenth in the boys race.
Columbia’s Lilah Zimmerman finished 11th at the Washington Class 1A girls’ cross country championships in Yakima. Daisy Jones of Stevenson was 65th.
Goldendale’s boys were 11th in the Washington Class 2B boys’ cross country championships in Yakima. The Timberwolves’ Sean Henrikson was the top GSH finisher in 18th. Goldendale’s Emma Meagher was 23rd in the girls’ race.
Football
Oregon Class 5A First Round
Silverton 44, Hood River Valley 7
Southwest Washington District 4 Playoff
Montesano 71, Stevenson 0
Oregon Six-Man First Round
South Wasco 51, Falls City 36: The Redsides advance to visit Elkton in the quarterfinals on Friday at 1 p.m.
EWAC Playoff
Goldendale 40, Columbia (Burbank) 0: Goldendale will host Brewster for a first round game either Friday or Saturday
Volleyball
Oregon Class 5A Tournament at Springfield High School
Quarterfinal: Marshfield def. The Dalles 25-13, 25-19, 25-14
Consolation: North Bend def. The Dalles 25-18, 22-25, 21-25, 26-24, 15-5
Washington Class 2B Volleyball Tournament at Yakama Sun Dome
First Round: Goldendale vs. Liberty (Spangle), Wednesday, 11:45 a.m.
100 Month Sentence Issued In Home Invasion Case
Jeremy Lee Anderson received a 100-month sentence from Wasco County Circuit Court Judge Marion Weatherford after pleading guilty to first degree kidnapping, assault, and burglary charges connected to a home invasion in The Dalles in January 2021. The pleas came during the second day of a jury trial, and the 50-year-old Anderson was sentenced the same day. The home invasion occurred at The Dalles home of Donald Lewis on January 22, 2021. Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis says Anderson was one of two men that forced their way into the house, and pistol-whipped and beat Lewis. They then hog-tied him, while they removed his safe and valuables from the back bedrooms, and kicked him numerous times. The men took over a hundred thousand dollars in cash, valuable coins, and jewelry, and left Lewis alone on the floor with his injuries. Ellis said Lewis managed to get a knife out of a dresser drawer and cut himself free, before running to a neighbor’s house. Three defendants have been found guilty in the home invasion, while the other person alleged to have entered the home, Jason McCollum is currently in federal custody on other charges, and his Wasco County trial is scheduled to begin in December.
November 1 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
Oregon Class 4A First Round
The Dalles 2, Pendleton 1: Hulies Najera and Juan Camarillo provided the goals at the Riverhawks nipped the Buckaroos to advance to the quarterfinals. The Dalles will host Crook County in a quarterfinal game Saturday at Sid White Field.
Oregon Class 5A First Round
Hood River Valley 3, West Albany 1: The Eagles scored all three of their goals in the final ten minutes of the first half to secure the win. Oscar Avalos, Aran Garcia and Julian Lara were the goal scorers for HRV after West Albany opened the scoring. The Eagles will visit top seed Crescent Valley on Saturday.
Washington District 5 Class 2B Volleyball
Semi-Final
Goldendale def. Warden 25-18, 17-25, 25-20, 25-20: The Timberwolves clinched a state tournament berth, and will take on River View for the district title tonight at 7 p.m. at Granger High School.
800 MW Solar Project Proposed In Wasco & Sherman Counties
An 800-megawatt solar project is being proposed on 8,075 acres in Wasco and Sherman counties. Wasco County Planning Director Kelly Howsley-Glover told County Commissioners the Yellow Rosebush Energy Center would be adjacent to Bakeoven, and is being proposed by Savion, LLC. The County will be sending a letter to the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council outlining the County’s criteria and overlay zone considerations for EFSEC to consider in the process. She adds her department has met with company representatives, and emphasized fire and housing considerations, and strongly encouraged reaching out to Warm Springs tribal officials. There is a public meeting on the project scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Imperial River Company conference room in Maupin.