The Dalles City Council approved changes to residential density and regulations within the municipal code. The changes came a little less than one year after planning commissioners noted ambiguities in the City’s density rules while hearing an appeal of a permit that was being denied. Community Development Director Joshua Chandler told the Council the changes to the code include a new article on density, restructures multiple articles that reference density, and adjusts the comprehensive plan to reflect those changes. Councilor Dan Richardson said during deliberations the changes tip the scale towards additional density.
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City of HR Looking At Surcharge Plan To Incentivize Wastewater Pre-Treat
Hood River City Councilors received a report on a proposed system of charges and surcharges to incentivize industries that produced a large amount of wastewater to pre-treat it before it reaches the municipal treatment plant. Consultant Wayne Heniemann says the goal is to recover the cost of high-strength wastewater treatment and prevent costs from being passed on to other ratepayers. The proposed plan would call for users whose highest day of outflow is less than 65 percent of limits would receive a 10 percent discount…while those above 90 percent would see charges increased from the base by ten percent…and there would be automatic fines for exceeding limits but with opportunities for users to make operational changes before being fined. Heinemann says the City currently has four system users that would be impacted by this plan. City Council will consider the proposal at a future meeting.
Sorosis Reservoir Roof Structure Modifications Approved
The Dalles City Council gave the go-ahead to do roof structure modifications for the Sorosis Reservoir. It will cost about $1.4 million for the project…which became a necessity when deterioration and metal loss on many of the interior roof rafters and bolts due to corrosion was discovered during interior painting of the reservoir. Mayor Rich Mays says this work has impacts on other parts of the municipal water infrastructure…which will need improvements to prepare for Google’s new data centers. Work on the Sorosis Reservoir has to be done in the winter months…and it’s to be completed by April of 2024.
Distinguished Citizen Awards Handed Out
The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce has handed out its Distinguished Citizen awards. Mayor Rich Mays received the Man of the Year award, and Nan Wimmers of Columbia Gorge Real Estate was named Woman of the Year. Scott McKay was selected as Volunteer of the Year, Salvador Rocha Zavala Jr. was named Outstanding Youth of the Year, the Educator of the Year is Ajay Rundell, and Mary Leighton received the Outstanding Agricultural Achievement Award. The Dalles Eagles Lodge received the Excellence in Philanthropy honor, and Bargeway Pub and Catering was named Business of the Year.
City Of HR Continues Work On Rand Road Housing Project
The City of Hood River’s housing project on 780 Rand Road received $3 million in federal money in the recent omnibus spending bill, but there is still a large part of the financial puzzle to be accumulated. City Manager Abigail Elder says they will be applying to the state’s Local Innovation and Fast Track, or LIFT, program again this year after not receiving funds in 2022, and receiving the federal monies can help that effort. Elder says project partners Community Development Partners and Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation continue work on the project while the funds to build it are being sought, doing work with stakeholders on what the development should look like.
Klickitat County Commission Looks To Deal With Priority Items
Klickitat County Commissioners have got a number of priority items to deal with in the next few months. Commissioner Jacob Anderson says many of those tasks involve land use planning. A strategic planning process and a short-term rental ordinance all figure to be a part of the next few months. Anderson notes each commissioner also has the various committees and boards they are a part of to work on as well. In his case, it’s trying to continue progress on a new Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge.
January 20-22 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Basketball
The Dalles 60, Estacada 47
Hood River Valley 70, St. Helens 55
Seton Catholic 58, Columbia 34
LaCenter 66, Stevenson 56
South Wasco 73, Ione-Arlington 46
Ione-Arlington 60, Lyle-Wishram 28
Sherman 55, Klickitat-Glenwood 17
Sherman 52, Dufur 30
Dufur 62, Condon 44
Horizon Christian 50, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 49
Horizon Christian 49, Condon 26
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 62, Klickitat-Glenwood 28
Granger 83, Goldendale 74
Goldendale 52, Highland 44
Girls Basketball
The Dalles 41, Estacada 28
Hood River Valley 46, St. Helens 36
Klickitat-Glenwood 39, Sherman 33
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 51, Klickitat-Glenwood 45
Sherman 61, Dufur 24
South Wasco 56, Ione-Arlington 40
Condon 46, Dufur 39
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 39, Horizon Christian 20
Condon 45, Horizon Christian 29
Bickleton 35, Lyle-Wishram 28
Ione-Arlington 63, Lyle-Wishram 30
Trout Lake 71, Bickleton 17
Goldendale 69, Granger 36
Goldendale 44, Highland 27
Boys Wrestling
Hood River Valley finished third, Stevenson fourth, and Columbia fifth at the Columbia Gorge Tournament in Stevenson. HRV received weight class wins from Mason Steffers, Jacob Smith, and Connor Farlow, while Stevenson got first place finishes from Gavin Gantner and Kasen Polzel.
The Dalles’ Alexander DeLatorre finished second at 145 pounds at the Tigard Invitational.
Matthew Gray’s eighth place finish at 138 pounds to lead Goldendale at the Rumble in the Valley in Prosser.
Girls Wrestling
Xiomara Gordian Gomez finished fifth at 140 pounds for Hood River Valley in the Lady Dragon Invitational at Dallas.
Madison Kiemele of Goldendale finished fifth at 135 pounds at the Lady Huskie Invitational in Othello
Alpine Skiing
Hood River Valley’s Emily Teets and Zoe Mortensen finished one-two in the girls’ race in a Mt. Hood League Slalom at Mt. Hood Meadows. Lucy Booth of The Dalles finished third. In the boys’ race, Hood River Valley’s Thorsen Welch finished second, while Cooper Klindt finished ninth for The Dalles.
“Suspicious Item” Found At HRMS Turns Out To Be PVC Pipe
The Hood River County School District says what was described as a “suspicious item” found on Hood River Middle School property on Friday morning was not a threat. According to a statement made by the district on its Facebook page, a staff member at the school found the item, and the district notified Hood River Police, who found it a piece of PVC pipe and was not a safety threat. Buses were routed to a different location for morning drop-off and students were moved to the opposite side of campus from the object.
Cronin To Leave Post As CGCC President
Columbia Gorge Community College President Dr. Marta Yera Cronin has announced her resignation, effective on June 30. In a statement from the college, Cronin said she and her husband have decided to relocate back to the East Coast for family-related reasons. Cronin become president of CGCC in July 2018, the school’s third since it was established in 1977. CGCC board members will schedule a special meeting this month to determine the next steps in selecting a successor to Cronin. In addition, CGCC Foundation Executive Director Wendy Patton is leaving that job to take a position with the Central Oregon Community College Foundation in Bend. She will be leaving CGCC next month.
Eagle Watch On Saturday
The 13th annual Eagle Watch will take place Saturday at The Dalles Dam Visitor Center. It’s hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Greenspace below the dam is used by eagles as a winter roost site. Corps Public Affairs Specialist Amber Tilton says after having limited events during the pandemic, they will have a full range of activities, including park rangers answering questions on site and a visit from one of the raptors at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. The Dalles Dam Visitors Center is on 3545 Bret Clodfelter Way off Interstate 84 exit 87. Eagle Watch runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.