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Man Arrested In Fire Start; Released Under State Law Requirements

Posted on by mbailey

A man was arrested on Saturday by Wasco County Sheriff’s deputies on charges involving the start of a fire in the Sandlin Road area.  The Sheriff’s Office says an initial report indicated a male subject started a fire in a brushy area on private property, and was detained by witnesses.  An investigation by deputies alleges the suspect stated the fire by discarding a cigarette, and was arrested for reckless burning and criminal trespass.  Sheriff Lane Magill said evidence in the case does not meet probable cause requirements for felony arson charges.  Magill said the suspect was released from NORCOR on Saturday under Oregon Senate Bill 48 requirements that provide for pre-trial release for about 170 different criminal charges, including these two.  The Sheriff added the suspect returned to the area that day but was not found to be trespassing or doing anything else that could have led to another arrest.  The case has been forwarded to the Wasco County District Attorney’s office.

 

50 Acre Fire In Cow Canyon Area

Posted on by mbailey

Estimated size of a fire in the area of Cow Canyon on Monday has been reduced to 50 acres.  The Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center says the Milepost 72 Fire is now 30 percent contained after work by crews from the Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, and the Ashwood Rural Fire Protection District.  The fire is located near Highway 97 about two miles north of the Highway 293 junction.  A short distance away, containment of the Trout Creek Fire near the Deschutes River and Highway 97 in Jefferson County along the Wasco County line was at 90 percent as of Tuesday morning.  It has burned 725 acres on Bureau of Land Management land, burning grass, brush, and juniper in the area.  The cause of both fires is under investigation.

Wyden Town Halls Scheduled For June 26

Posted on by mbailey

Senator Ron Wyden has announced plans to hold town halls in the Columbia Gorge next Wednesday (June 26).  The first will be at 10 a.m. at Hood River Valley High School, and the second will be at 12:30 at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center.  Wyden holds a town hall every year in each Oregon county, and has done 20 so far in 2024, and over 1,000 during his time in office.  The two local town halls are among four Wyden will hold next week, with the other two in Deschutes and Crook counties.

Building Maintenance Planned For HR Schools Over Summer

Posted on by mbailey

Classes are out for summer, but that doesn’t mean there is no activity in school buildings.  Along with summer school classes, in the Hood River County School District it is time to get building maintenance done.  District Superintendent Bill Newton says their biggest project is at Cascade Locks Elementary School, where a boiler that went out this fall will be replaced by an HVAC unit.  Newton said there are a lot of other smaller projects to take place, but they are finished with projects that came from their latest bond measure a few years ago.

 

White Salmon Council To Consider Contract For Bluff Trail Design

Posted on by mbailey

The White Salmon City Council will be considering going out for a contract to design a Bluff Trail loop to connect White Salmon and Bingen with a restoration of the 600-step stairway down the hill.  Mayor Marla Keethler says they have the funding in place to for a design, much of it through a federal grant.  Keethler says a lot of the trail work can help the City improve their wildfire mitigation efforts in the bluff area, providing better access.  The White Salmon City Council meets on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the White Salmon Fire Hall.

Goldendale Police Arrest Two On Drug & Gun Charges

Posted on by mbailey

Goldendale Police have arrested two people on gun and drug charges after executing a pair of search warrants late last week.  According to a department news release, the pair were arrested as part of an on-going three-month investigation.  Several guns and drugs were seized during the searches.  Police say a third suspect is still at large and pending several gun and drug charges, but there are no threats to the community.  The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife assisted with the searches.  Police say they cannot release more information due to the continuing active investigation.

Fire Burns Country Way Structure

Posted on by mbailey

Fire burned a structure off of Country Way on the west side of The Dalles on Saturday afternoon.  Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue officials said crews responding to the scene were met with active fire and light to dark brown smoke coming from the structure.  Weather conditions did push the fire into trees near the structure and posed a threat to the nearby wildland area.  No one was injured and the occupants of the fire made it out safely.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.  MCFR units were assisted by crews Mosier and Wy’east fire departments, while Klickitat EMS were on standby for medical calls.

Tourist Spending In The Dalles Down Somewhat

Posted on by mbailey

Late spring tourism is down a bit in The Dalles area.  The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says they are still getting lodging stays, but spending is down.  She believes there are a couple of reasons for that.  One is the economy and rising costs in recent years, but the other is this as a presidential election year, which Farquharson says tends to see people a bit more hesitant to spend money because of the unknown.  Farquharson adds this coming weekend figures to be a busy one in The Dalles, with a bass fishing tournament and a swim meet scheduled in the area.

MCFR Responds To East 1st Structure Fire

Posted on by mbailey

Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue responded to a structure fire on Thursday afternoon near East 10th and I Streets in The Dalles.  MCFR reports crews arrived to fire showing from the roof and heavy smoke coming out of the upper level of a two-story multi-unit residence.  The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it appears to have started outside the structure.  No injuries were reported.  MCFR says it was assisted at the scene by local utility companies and The Dalles Police Department, and Mosier and Dallesport fire crews also responded.  The families are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Early Indications Good For Cherry Harvest

Posted on by mbailey

Early indications are good for the cherry harvest in the Gorge.  OSU Extension Horticulturist Ashley Thompson says early varieties are beginning to be harvested in The Dalles/Dallesport area.  Thompson says it appears there will be Bing cherries ready to hit the July 4 market window, but she adds there are now 15 to 20 different varieties of cherries being grown here and they don’t necessarily get marketed by variety.  She adds unlike last year, cherry harvests in other areas are happening at a typical time, with California having been first out on the market.  Thompson does point out the ultimate indicator for success for this year’s crop will be the market prices they bring.

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