Hood River County Commissioners have selected four finalists to succeed retiring County Administrator Jeff Hecksel who will come to Hood River next week for interviews. The quartet includes former San Bernardino, California City Manager Robert Field, former Glenwood Springs, Colorado City Manager Beverli Marshall, former Moses Lake City Manager Allison Willliams, and current Niceville, Florida Deputy City Manager Chad Morris. A public reception for the four candidates will take place on Thursday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 in the Best Western Hood River Inn Trilium Room. The public will be able to provide written comments to the County Commission on the candidates. The Commission will interview each of the four candidates next Friday.
Category: Uncategorized
MCCFL Decides To Stop After Hours Visits To Hospitals & Jail
Mid-Columbia Center For Living decided it will no longer to not respond to calls for mental health services from the two hospitals in Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties and NORCOR after normal working hours. Center Executive Director Al Barton says they have been unable to fill three positions that are key to those efforts, leading to a difficult decision they didn’t want to make. Barton says Providence Hood River already has the capacity to detain those at risk to themselves or others, and they are meeting with Adventist Health Columbia Gorge to be able to mirror that process. He added their hiring process is impacted by the same things other employers have in the Gorge, particularly housing issues.
Planned Burns Set For Barlow Ranger District
Fire personnel on the Barlow Ranger District plan to burn up to 427 acres in the Mt. Hood National Forest this fall. Burning operations could begin as early as Friday and continue through the next few weeks if weather and moisture levels remain favorable. The planned burns are in the South Rock and Rocky 79 prescribed fire units, located about three miles southwest of Pine Hollow and five miles west of Wamic, within the footprint of the Central Wasco County All Lands Joint Chief Project. Prescribed burning in this area will improve landscape resilience to disease and fire as well as increase overall forest health and wildlife habitat. Firefighters successfully burned 180 acres in the South Rock unit last spring and hope to complete the remaining 220 acres this fall. Rocky 79 will be the first prescribed fire unit to receive treatment as part of the Rocky Restoration Project. Access to roads within the burn perimeter may be temporarily restricted while the burn is active. Smoke may be visible in the vicinity during the burn and for a few days afterward.
Chinook Retention To Continue Upstream Of Bonneville Dam
Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington decided that Chinook retention can remain open upstream of Bonneville Dam after October 15. Effective October 16 through December 31, retention of Chinook is allowed in the mainstem Columbia River from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Oregon-Washington state line upstream of McNary Dam. Chinook and coho can be retained from Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam through October 31, and hatchery steelhead can be retained beginning November 1. Chinook and coho can be retained from The Dalles Dam to the Oregon-Washington state line through the end of the year. All other permanent regulations remain in effect.
October 3 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
The Dalles 3, Molalla 1: The Riverhawks stay one point ahead of Madras atop the Tri-Valley Conference standings.
Girls Soccer
The Dalles 3, Molalla 2
Valley Catholic 6, Trout Lake-Glenwood 0
Goldendale 7, Columbia (Burbank) 0
Volleyball
Stevenson def. Columbia 3-1
Trout Lake-Klickitat-Glenwood def. Horizon Christian 25-10, 25-8, 20-25, 25-20
Heppner def. Dufur 25-19, 18-25, 25-20, 24-26, 15-7
Goldendale def. Highland 3-0
October 2 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
Hood River Valley 2, Lakeridge 1: The Eagles handed the Pacers their first loss of the season.
Trout Lake-Glenwood 2, North Clackamas Christian 1: The Mustangs now have a six point lead atop the Special District 7 standings, with a 7-0-1 record in league play.
Willamette Valley Christian 3, Horizon Christian 0
Volleyball
Hood River Valley def. Centennial 26-24, 15-25, 25-21, 24-26, 15-9
Crook County def. The Dalles 25-22, 19-25, 25-17, 26-24
Hood River County DA Says Additional Staff Needed
With an increase in DUII cases increasing the workload for the Hood River County District Attorney’s Office, D.A. Carrie Rasmussen is advocating for adding staff. Rasmussen says they desperately need a discovery clerk, something she adds most counties have to get body camera coverage to defense attorneys in a timely manner. In addition. Rasmussen says her office needs a new prosecutor’s position and more support in victims’ assistance. Hood River County’s District Attorney’s office currently employs two deputy district attorneys and four staff members. By comparison, Wasco County has three deputy D.A.’s and seven other staffers.
Remains Found In White Salmon
Skeletonized human remains were found late last week near the 200 block of Bates Road in White Salmon. The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office said over the weekend a citizen discovered the remains, and the Sheriff’s Office was joined by the Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response Team. The Sheriff’s Office and the County Prosecutor and Coroner are working to identify the decedent, and determine the cause and manner of death. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Erik Anderson at erika@klickitatcounty.org.
Wonderworks Looking For Donations To Cover Operational Costs
Wonderworks Children’s Museum of the Gorge is seeking about $40,000 in donations to be able to reopen its doors to the public. Wonderworks Board Vice-Chair Nichole Biechler says they need to develop a cushion that would cover operational costs for a partial year. The facility is located at 206 Madison in The Dalles. It is still available for birthday parties. Donations are being accepted at wonderworksgorge.org.
Paving Work This Week On Court Street
The Dalles Public Works has begun a full pavement reconstruction following installation of a sanitary sewer main on Court St. between East 12th St. and East 13th St., and will continue this week, weather permitting. The purpose of this work is to restore the pavement surface. Construction is expected to occur over four days with expected completion by Thursday. A full road closure will be in place 24 hours a day with no driveway access. Work hours will be 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. all four days. The sidewalk will remain open to pedestrian traffic during construction. If you have questions, contact The Dalles Public Works Department at (541) 296-5401.