Ballots for the November election should be arriving in mailboxes, and voters in White Salmon and Klickitat County Fire District 3 will be deciding on whether to approve the West Klickitat County Regional Fire Authority. It would combine FD 3 and White Salmon Fire into one agency with its own tax base. The new authority would have a property tax assessment of 76 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value, which is a seven cent increase in FD 3 but a bigger jump for White Salmon, where City Councilor Jim Ransier says fire services have been underfunded for many years, adding it will cost less to correct that with this plan than doing it on their own. The fire authority board would be made up of three people each from the City and the current FD 3.
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Norris To Oversee Westside URA Effort
The City of Hood River has brought on a familiar face to help direct the Westside Urban Renewal project. The district itself doesn’t actually start until January 1, but City Manager Abigail Elder says they are moving ahead to the next step. They’ve named former municipal finance manager Will Norris to oversee the Westside district work. The intent of the district is to generate funds for the installation of infrastructure that will facilitate development in the Westside area.
The Dalles Public Works Asks For Water Line Inventory Help
The Dalles Public Works Department is asking for the help of its water customers to help meet new federal rules calling for municipalities to inventory all the pipes from the water main to where the service line connects to a building. Public Works Director Dave Anderson says they have never found any lead pipes, but they are required to go through the inventory process. To do that, Anderson says they have sent a brochure asking people to report the kind of pipes they have….and one of the steps includes doing a scratch test on the pipe. Along with the brochure that has been sent out, there is information at the City’s website at thedalles.org.
October 20-21 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Football
Hood River Valley 49, Centennial 18
LaSalle 38, The Dalles 0
LaCenter 51, Columbia 6
Dufur 44, Pilot Rock 6
St. Paul 53, Sherman 0
Adrian 66, Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 32
Goldendale 20, Cle Elum-Roslyn 0
Boys Soccer
The Dalles 2, Gladstone 1
Girls Soccer
Riverdale 2, Trout Lake-Glenwood 0
Saturday Schedule
Volleyball
Goldendale def. Zillah 3-2
Big Sky Conference Volleyball Tournament
Championship: Ione-Arlington def. South Wasco 25-15, 25-21, 25-20: The Redsides go to Damascus Christian for a Oregon Class 1A first round match on Wednesday.
Third Place: Condon def. Sherman 3-0: The Condon win eliminated Sherman from the state playoffs.
Pilot Suffers Minor Injury In Plane Crash Near The Dalles
One person suffered minor injuries in a small plane crash Thursday night southeast of Adventist Health Columbia Gorge. Wasco County spokesperson Stephanie Krell says dispatchers received a report of flames southeast of the hospital just before 9 p.m. Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue reported the plane went down near Remington Road and some orchard lands, sparking a fire crews were able to put out. Krell says the aircraft was a Cessna 152 with one person on board. The pilot suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital. The plane was traveling from Redmond to Columbia Gorge Regional Airport in Dallesport.
Williams Named New Hood River County Administrator
Hood River County Commissioners announced they have selected Allison Williams to be the next County Administrator. County Commission Chair Jennifer Euwer says Williams brings over 25 years of local government experience and 6 years of non-profit leadership to Hood River County. Williams was most recently the City Manager in Moses Lake, serving in that position for over three years. Prior to that, she was with the City of Wenatchee from 1998 to 2019 where she started as the Community Planner and then was the Executive Services Director for over 14 years, serving as the mayor’s chief of staff in a strong mayor form of government. Williams was also Executive Director of the Wenatchee Downtown Association for over six years. Euwer says she has been characterized as an approachable, authentic leader with a strong work ethic. County Commissioners interviewed four finalists last week. Williams will succeed the retiring Jeff Hecksel.
October 19 Prep Sports Roundup
Volleyball
Hood River Valley def. Milwaukie 25-21, 21-25, 25-18, 25-22
Stevenson def. Columbia 25-18, 24-26, 25-18, 25-23
Boys Soccer
Hood River Valley 7, Milwaukie 1
Girls Soccer
The Dalles 4, Gladstone 3: The Riverhawks snapped a tie atop the Tri-Valley Conference standings with the win, and can clinch the league title with a win or tie at Molalla on Tuesday.
Milwaukie 2, Hood River Valley 1
LaCenter 10, Columbia 1
Seton Catholic 3, Stevenson 0
Cle Elum-Roslyn 3, Goldendale 0
Cross Country
Hood River Valley’s boys were second to host Corvallis in a five-school race. Kai Wagner was third and Logan King fourth individually for HRV. Hood River was fourth in the girls’ run, as Syl Perrin had a fourth place individual finish.
Goldendale held off Cle Elum-Roslyn to win a seven-school EWAC Meet at home. Sean Henriksen was the top Timberwolf finisher in second. Goldendale’s Emma Meagher won the girls’ race.
Port of HR Plans Nighttime Lane Closures To Prepare For Wire Rope Project
There will be single lane closures of the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge next week as crews from Hamilton Construction make preparations for the wire rope replacement project. The closures will start at 8:00 p.m. and continue through 5:30 a.m. the following morning, and will take place on four consecutive nights, beginning on Monday night. Flaggers will be on the bridge to direct traffic around the moving work zone. Motorists should expect delays of up to 30 minutes depending on traffic volume. On Monday there will be an early morning lift of the bridge’s lift span that will close both lanes for approximately 30 minutes, starting at 5:00 a.m. During the lane closures, crews will stage jacking equipment and adjust the counterweights in preparation for the full closure coming the first week of November.
WSDOT Lowers Highway 14 Speed Limit Near Stevenson
The Washington State Department of Transportation is lowering the speed limit along Highway 14 near Stevenson to improve safety. Beginning Thursday, travelers approaching Stevenson will be required to reduce their travel speed from 55 to 40 miles per hour, and the speed limit will be reduced again to 25 miles per hour through town. The speed limit remains at 55 between North Bonneville and Rock Creek Drive, but drops to 40 from Rock Creek Drive to Rock Creek Bridge, and down to 25 from Rock Creek Bridge through the City. The reduced speed limits will be in place until further notice. The transportation department says it will continuously monitor the speed limit changes for their effectiveness. The transportation department noted Stevenson has experienced substantial growth and is a favored spot for vacationers and outdoor recreation enthusiasts, so reducing speed limits along state highways within urban areas helps to ensure they are safe and pedestrian-friendly.
October 18 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Volleyball
The Dalles def. Molalla 25-10, 25-8, 25-8
Big Sky Conference Volleyball Playoffs
Condon def. Dufur 3-2
Sherman def. Trout Lake-Klickitat-Glenwood 25-22, 25-16, 25-19: Sherman and Condon advance to join South Wasco and Ione-Arlington in the semi-finals on Saturday in The Dalles.
Cross Country
Freshman Lilah Zimmerman’s first place finish led Columbia to the girls’ team title at the Trico League Championships at Vancouver Lake. The Bruins held off Seton Catholic by taking places 11 to 14 behind Zimmerman. Stevenson took third, led by freshman Daisy Jones with a fifth place finish. In the boys’ race, Seton Catholic won while Columbia was third and Stevenson sixth. Columbia’s August Lorincz was the top area finisher in eighth.