Fireworks will be prohibited throughout Hood River County beginning this coming Sunday night at 11:59, following the Regulated Use Closure to be implemented by the Oregon Department of Forestry 12:01 next Monday morning. The Central Oregon District of ODF declared fire season last Monday. Hood River County is prohibiting the discharge of fireworks in its unincorporated areas until the Oregon State Forester suspends or terminates the closure. Beginning this Sunday, the Regulated Use Closure prohibits open campfires throughout the County Forest. Campfires will only be permitted inside fire rings at the Kingsley Campground through a special waiver until further notice. Portable cooking stoves that use liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed in forested areas. All vehicles on County Forest roads must be equipped with either a shovel and a gallon of water or a 2.5-pound fire extinguisher or larger. As part of the restrictions, County Forest trails will be closed to motorized use on Middle Mountain, Pinemont, and Fir Mountain due to fire danger. Motorized Off-Highway Vehicle use will still be allowed in Hood River County’s Northwest Area Trail System through a special ODF waiver until further notice.
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NWPRD To Look At Redesign Of City Park
Northern Wasco Parks and Recreation District is looking for individuals to be part of a committee to redesign City Park in The Dalles. District Executive Director Scott Baker says the playground is nearing the end of its useful life, and the sewer line to the restroom is failing. He says the need to move the restroom to a different location to connect to a new sewer line leads to more questions about how the park is laid out. Baker adds they have done some intermediate improvements on City Park, and emphasizes there is a fairly lengthy timeline to go further, starting with gathering public input this year, gathering grant funds and getting a design done next year, with a goal of some construction beginning in 2027. Baker says a survey on what people would like to see at City Park should go on the district website at nwprd.org later this week. Those who would like to give input can email admin@nwprd.org.
Skamania County Search & Rescue Missions Continue To Rise
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says it experienced a 400% increase in search and rescue missions in May compared to the same month one year ago. Sheriff Summer Scheyer says that’s in spite of continued efforts to communicate the need for preparedness and warning of the dangers Skamania County recreational opportunities inherently hold, the majority of the missions are a result of people who do not live in the area acting in negligent or reckless way while recreating. Scheyer says she is working on a county ordinance where an individual could be cited if they are found to be reckless or negligent in their actions where search and rescue is requested to respond. She wants to deter current behavior while trying to recoup the financial expenditures from the search and rescue missions.
Gorge Food Access Survey Underway
Oregon State University Extension is in the midst of its Gorge Food Access Survey, part of its food security assessment. OSU Extension Food Systems Coordinator Grace Wesson says it has been ten years since the last food security assessment has been done. Wesson says when the assessment was done a decade ago, one in three households worried about running out of food, and one out of five actually do. She added the information gathered in the assessment generated more than $25 million in grants for the community. To take the food access survey, link to it through the Hood River County OSU Extension Facebook page, or go to beav.es/gorgefoodsurvey.
City Of The Dalles Issue Water Advisory
Two of the City of The Dalles three wells that are used to meet summer water demands are currently out of service due to unexpected mechanical failures. City officials are encouraging water customers to minimize or avoid unnecessary outdoor water use for the next two weeks to avoid any water supply issues. Some of the things that customers can do to reduce outdoor water use include temporarily reducing lawn and garden watering…using a sprinkler, drip irrigation or soaker hose for landscape and garden watering rather than an open hose…and using a commercial car wash that recycles much of its water rather than washing vehicles at home. If washing vehicles at home, using a spring-loaded nozzle rather than an open hose is recommended. Repairs to the wells are expected to be completed by the end of June. Chenowith Water PUD customers are not affected by this advisory. Customers can confirm their water provider at thedalles.org/waterdistrictmap. For more information, contact the Public Works Department at (541) 296-5401.
Wasco County Approves Q-Life Loan
Wasco County Commissioners have approved a $3 million intergovernmental loan to Q-Life to help that agency with matching funds for a federal grant from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The grant would help increase fiber access in areas of Wasco County that do not have it. County Commissioner Scott Hege, who is also on the Q-Life board, noted they haven’t been successful in previous grant attempts, but he notes the state of Oregon has been allocated $700 million in this program. The Dalles City Council had already entered into a similar IGA with Q-Life.
Klickitat County Commission To Discuss Animal Shelter
Klickitat County Commissioners will discuss what can be done to in some way fund operations for an animal shelter at a workshop next Thursday. Klickitat County is one of just four counties in Washington that does not have a dog shelter. It received a state grant to build one a number of years ago, but money to operate it has never been allocated, and a building needs to be established by September 30 or the money will go back to the state. Commissioners heard from shelter supporters during their Tuesday meeting, and Commission Chair Ron Ihrig says it is a big issue, but also difficult given the County’s budget situation. Commissioners did bring up the idea of forming a 501c3 non-profit as a possible route to operational funding.
Fire Burns Area West Of Maupin
Fire burned a three-to-four acre area west of Maupin on Smock Road on Tuesday afternoon. The fire was reported at around 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, but was brought under control a couple of hours later. The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office said the fire forced a Level 3 evacuation advisory soon after the fire was reported due to strong winds in the area, but that was removed fairly soon afterward. A Level 2 evacuation advisory in the immediate vicinity of the fire remained in place overnight as a precaution, but that was lifted Wednesday morning. Crews from Wamic, Dufur, Juniper Flats, Tygh Valley, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the U.S. Forest Service responded to this fire.
The Dalles Library HVAC Replacement Moves Forward
The Dalles City Council approved moving forward with replacement of the HVAC system at The Dalles-Wasco County Library in a 50-50 split with the library district as called for in their Intergovernmental Agreement, with the intent for the system to be installed this fall. City Manager Matthew Klebes says the HVAC system at the library has been in need of being replaced for a long time, adding this is part of an effort for the City to reduce the amount of deferred maintenance that needs to be done. The company AirX was awarded the contract of $423,640 to do the project, and the Library District was awarded a $115,000 state grant. Klebes said the City had budgeted for the project in the upcoming fiscal year.
Columbia River Salmon & Steelhead Fisheries
Oregon and Washington fishery managers have finalized preseason planning for 2025 Columbia River summer recreational salmon and steelhead fisheries. For the summer season, retention of jack hatchery Chinook and hatchery steelhead will be open starting June 16 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco, WA. Due to the low summer Chinook forecast of 38,000 adults and allocation guidance, adult Chinook retention will be closed in summer season fisheries downstream of Priest Rapids Dam. Retention of sockeye will be allowed June 22 to July 6. The daily adult bag limit is two salmon/steelhead, but only one may be a hatchery steelhead and only one may be a sockeye. When sockeye retention is closed during the summer season, the daily adult bag limit is one hatchery steelhead. Anglers must stop fishing for jack salmon after taking a daily limit of adult salmon or steelhead. Hatchery steelhead retention will be allowed through July 31 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to The Dalles Dam and through Aug. 31 from The Dalles Dam upstream to the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco, WA with a reduced bag limit of one fish.