Wasco County Commissioners received the market analysis study for a regional sports complex. Ryan Sheridan of Hunden Strategic Partners says their analysis shows strong demand for a complex that would include outdoor athletic fields and a second phase incorporating indoor courts for basketball and volleyball. The report showed it would be year seven before the facility could be expected to turn a slight profit, but Sheridan added most communities build these facilities with a goal of driving sports tourism and the dollars it can bring. The issue initially came up when then-Mid-Columbia Medical Center presented the County with a plan to build a new hospital on the current Kramer Field. But how the now Adventist Health Columbia Gorge will proceed is a question, and Commissioners indicated this project might no longer be as connected to that as it was previously, adding they would like to see more conversations with potential community partners.
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Roosevelt Landfill Loses Third Contract
Klickitat County Commission Chair Dan Christopher revealed during the panel’s meeting on Tuesday that Republic Services has lost another large contract for the regional landfill in Roosevelt. During a discussion of a funding request from the White Salmon Valley Pool Metropolitan Park District as that group continues its effort to build a swimming pool, Christopher said that last week Republic Services lost a contract for taking refuse from Mason County after losing a similar contract with Spokane County two weeks ago and with Skagit County during the summer. Christopher noted during the meeting that Klickitat County has been receiving tipping fees from all those contracts. He says that’s a large amount of revenue the County won’t have next year, and they will have to re-evaluate their revenue forecasts for 2024. Commissioner Jacob Anderson said they will have to have some very difficult discussions on their budgets as a result of the contract losses.
NCPHD Meeting Cancelled
A planned special North Central Public Health District board meeting to discuss becoming a department of Wasco County that was scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled. The district issued notice of the cancellation Wednesday afternoon, but no reason was given, and there was no mention of when it might be rescheduled. The question of whether the district should become a department of Wasco County has been discussed since Gilliam County withdrew from the district that also includes Sherman County last year. The topic was the focus of a lengthy district board meeting in August, but there was no clear indication of what the decision might be.
Fatal Accident On I-84
A 44-year-old Keizer man died Monday morning in a two-vehicle accident on Interstate 84 about six miles west of Cascade Locks. According to the Oregon State Police, a preliminary investigation indicated a car operated by Jamal Haji Hassan Kimo was westbound near milepost 38 when it began to hydroplane on standing water on the roadway. The car struck the freeway’s northern guardrail, and then reentered the westbound lanes of travel in the path of a westbound commercial truck and trailer, and was struck on the drivers’ side door. The OSP says Kimo was declared deceased at the scene. The driver of the truck was not injured.
White Salmon Schools Hope To Have Parking Lot Work Done This Week
The White Salmon Valley School District is hoping the delayed paving of the parking lot at its secondary school campus will be finished by the end of the week. District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says delays were caused by weather and the development of a sinkhole in the parent drop-off lane in front of Henkle Middle School. Polkinghorn noted the lot was built years ago on top of a swamp. Polkinghorn said their engineers have determined the sinkhole issue has been resolved, allowing the repaving to continue.
Gorge Tech Showcase Set For October 26
The Gorge Tech Showcase is planned for next week. The annual event is held by the Gorge Technology Alliance. Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Executive Director Jessica Metta says there will be presentations sharing the latest news from area tech companies and any job openings they might have. Metta adds the Showcase provides excellent networking opportunities. The Showcase will be Thursday, October 26, starting at 6 p.m. at The Ruins in Hood River. It is free for Gorge Technology Alliance members, and $15 for non-members.
The Dalles Asking Citizens To Fill Out Water Line Survey
The City of The Dalles water service line survey has been mailed out to every water customer in the City’s service area. The City says it has no known lead service lines in its system. But to comply with the revised Federal Lead and Copper Rule, the City must record an inventory of all materials in our system from the water main to where the service line connects to a building. The Dalles Public Works Department is asking people to help by using the unique QR code on the survey that has been mailed out to fill out a short online survey and upload a picture of a scratch test of the pipe. The brochure will have simple instructions for doing the scratch test. There is also a how-to-video available on the City website, thedalles.org. Questions or comments can be directed to the Public Works office (541) 296-5401.
Newhouse Introduces Bill On Organic Farming Practices
Washington Fourth District Congressman Dan Newhouse joined a group of representatives to introduce a bill to modernize U.S. Agriculture Department process to respond to changes in organic farming practices. Newhouse believes the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act would better align organic standards authored by the agency with industry best practices and consumer demands. Newhouse, a third-generation farmer, says it is crucial to ensure transparency in organics process—for both producers and consumers—and provide growers certainty, adding that is how to spark further innovation and improvement within the organic industry. The bill would require the USDA to request public input on recommended changes to organic standards at least once every five years and establishes a five-year working period for the USDA, in consultation with the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), to implement the recommendations. It also calls for those two groups to consider the best available information – including environmental and ecological data, consumer and market data, organic production and handling practices, organic research, and scientific data – when implementing recommended changes.
October 17 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Boys Soccer
Hood River Valley 3, Parkrose 2: HRV moves into fourth in the Northwest Oregon Conference with the victory.
Girls Soccer
Parkrose 1, Hood River Valley 0
The Dalles 1, Madras 0: The win sets up a showdown for first place in the Tri-Valley Conference with Gladstone tomorrow at 4 p.m. in The Dalles.
Columbia 4, Castle Rock 1
White Swan at Goldendale, 6 p.m.
Volleyball
LaSalle def. Hood River Valley 25-4, 25-12, 25-17
LaCenter def. Columbia 25-21, 25-12, 25-20
Seton Catholic def. Stevenson 3-2
Goldendale def. Mabton 3-0
CGCC Releases Study On Its Economic Impact
Columbia Gorge Community College has released a study on the economic impact of Oregon’s community colleges that finds CGCC supported 645 jobs in the region in the 2021-2022 fiscal year, adding about $45 million to the local economy. The study was conducted by Lightcast, a labor analytics firm, on behalf of the Oregon Community College Association. Statewide, the report showed that Oregon’s 17 community colleges generate an annual economic impact of $9.6 billion and support 1 out of every 22 jobs in the state. The Lightcast study says the average CGCC associate degree graduate from Fiscal Year 2021-22 will see annual earnings that are $7,000 higher than a person with a high school diploma or equivalent working in Oregon. The full report entitled “The Economic Value of Columbia Gorge Community College” is available at cgcc.edu.