Mid-Columbia Community Action will begin taking appointments for clients to apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program on Wednesday. Community Action Executive Director Kenny LaPoint says seniors and families with children under the age of six have priority, but they encourage anyone in need of utility assistance in Hood River, Wasco, or Sherman counties to contact them. To be added to the appointment waitlist, call Community Action’s office in The Dalles at 541-298-5131, ext. 206 or the Hood River office at 541-980-3502 starting on Wednesday. Applications can also filled out online at mccac.com.
Study Shows CGCC’s Economic Impact
A recent study on the economic impact of Oregon’s community college found that Columbia Gorge Community College supported 645 jobs during the 2021-22 Fiscal Year that added about $45 million the local economy. The study was conducted by the labor analytics firm Lightcast on behalf of the Oregon Community College Association. It also showed that 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 working in Oregon.
Mt Hood Forest Taking 2024 Seasonal Job Applications
The application period is underway for jobs next summer on the Mt. Hood National Forest. Areas where positions are available include recreation crews, wilderness rangers, trails crews, OHV trails operations, wildland firefighter, aquatics and fisheries field work, plants monitoring and invasive plant control, and forestry. A list of all seasonal positions on the Forest area is available on the Mt. Hood National Forest website. Job locations include Parkdale, Dufur, Sandy, and Zigzag. Housing may be available. The application period for summer 2024 temporary jobs continues through November 8 at USAJobs.gov.
October 25 Prep Sports Roundup
Cross Country
With three of the top seven finishers, Hood River Valley won the boys’ title of the Northwest Oregon Conference championships at Champoeg State Park. Logan King finished second for HRV, with Kai Wagner third and Sam Knoll seventh. The Eagle girls just missed automatic qualifying for state with a third place finish in a close battle with Wilsonville and LaSalle. HRV still has a good chance of going to state as a team in one of the five at-large spots that will be determined after all district races are finished. Syl Perrin took fourth to qualify as an individual for the Class 5A state meet on November 4 in Eugene.
An individual title for Alana Casady led The Dalles to the girls’ title at the Tri-Valley Conference Championships at McIver State Park. Casady was joined in the top ten by teammates Abigail Pope in sixth and Ruby Jaimes Mora in seventh. Tyson Long’s individual victory paced the Riverhawks to a second place finish in the boys’ race. Caleb Caldwell, Aiden Erickson, and Egan Zigenhagen also finished in the top ten to help The Dalles to the Class 4A state meet on November 4 in Eugene.
Oregon Class 1A Volleyball Playoffs
First Round
South Wasco def. Damascus Christian 27-25, 25-13, 18-25, 25-22: The Redsides advance to round two, and will visit Trinity Lutheran on Saturday.
New Bridge Lane Closure Planned For Wednesday
The remaining nighttime single lane closures this week on the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge have been cancelled. Instead, there will be a new single lane closure next Wednesday night to make preparations for the wire rope replacement project. The closure will start at 8 p.m. and continue through 5:30 Thursday morning. Flaggers will be on the bridge to direct traffic around the moving work zone. Motorists should expect delays of up to 30 minutes depending on traffic volume. The bridge will be closed to all traffic for four consecutive days, beginning at 12:01 a.m. the morning of Friday, November 3 through 11:59 p.m. the night of Monday, November 6. During that 96-hour period, crews will remove, replace, and adjust the tension in the wire ropes that support the bridge lift counterweights. The work is not weather dependent and will be underway continuously during the closure.
Flag Point Lookout To Reopen For Recreation Rentals November 1
Barlow Ranger District will reopen Flag Point Lookout for recreation rentals beginning November 1. Reservations can be made online for the winter and spring seasons. The historic lookout is remote- about 10 miles from the parking area. Flag Point Lookout was closed to the public in 2016 after repeated vandalism created employee safety concerns and damaged the active fire lookout. The district recreation program now has two seasonal winter rangers, adding necessary capacity to ensure regular site maintenance and monitoring. The lookout tower plays a key role in the detection of fires on the Barlow Ranger District and adjoining lands. Cost per night is $50 and visitors may reserve the lookout for up to seven consecutive nights. Reservations can be booked online through Recreation.gov. A district spokesperson says tire lookout reservations fill up quickly in Mt. Hood National Forest, so anyone interested in using the facility this winter season shouldn’t wait to book. In the future, reservations will become available to book November- May on a six-month rolling basis.
October 24 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
The Dalles 2, Molalla 1: The Riverhawks finish second in the Tri-Valley Conference as Madras clinched the title with a 3-2 win over Crook County.
Hood River Valley 3, Hillsboro 2: HRV clinched a state playoff berth with the victory.
District 7 Playoff: Trout Lake-Glenwood 4, Grand View Christian Academy 2
Girls Soccer
Hillsboro 3, Hood River Valley 1
Seton Catholic 3, Columbia 1
King’s Way Christian 6, Stevenson 0
Goldendale 5, Highland 0
Volleyball
Hood River Valley def. Hillsboro 23-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-22, 15-13
King’s Way Christian def. Columbia 25-19, 25-22, 25-14
Stevenson def. Castle Rock 25-15, 25-27, 25-23, 25-11
Goldendale def. Kittitas 3-0
Boys Water Polo
Barlow 18, Hood River Valley 6
Girls Water Polo
Barlow 11, Hood River Valley 10
TD Council Discusses STR Rules
The Dalles City Council discussed where to move next on short-term rentals during their meeting this week. Mayor Rich Mays says municipal staff gave Councilors a wide-range of options to consider. Limiting the number of STR licenses to a percentage of housing units in The Dalles or the number within a given area was brought up. Other areas to be examined is whether to limit STR’s in particular zones, possibly limiting owners to one STR listing, and differentiating between those who actually live in the home they use for an STR and owners who don’t live on the property. A potential moratorium on issuing new permits for STR’s until the City sorts through its rules was also discussed. Councilors will discuss the subject further at their upcoming goal setting session next month.
TD Council Adopts Cart Ordinance
By a 3-2 vote, The Dalles City Council voted to adopt an ordinance requiring retailers to retrieve abandoned shopping carts when they are reported. The ordinance, which will not go into effect for three months, does include a fine of up to 50 dollars per cart if they are not retrieved within 72 hours, and includes the establishment of a toll-free phone number to report abandoned carts. Councilor Darcy Long said the City wants to help return shopping carts to their rightful owners, and to keep the City looking nice. Councilors Tim McGlothlin and Rod Runyon voted against the measure, with McGlothlin noting there needs to be consequences for those who are stealing the shopping carts. City Attorney Jonathan Kara pointed out laws for theft are already on the books.
Rand Road Housing Development Meeting Wednesday
There will be a community meeting and open house Wednesday on the 780 Rand Road affordable housing development in Hood River. Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation Executive Director Joel Madsen says the meeting is an opportunity for people to learn more about the project. The event begins at 6 p.m. with time to learn about the project and provide feedback at multiple stations, followed by opening remarks from design and development team members at 6:30. There will be an open house at 6:45, followed by a question-and-answer session at 7:15. It will be held at Hood River Alliance Church on 2650 Montello Avenue in Hood River.