Ballots in the North Wasco County School District 21 bond measure vote are starting to be returned. Wasco County Clerk Lisa Gambee said as of the end of Monday, they had already received 1,348 ballots back. That’s out of 14,693 eligible voters, for an early return rate of 9.17%. Ballots must be postmarked or returned to the County Courthouse or place in authorized drop boxes by November 7. D-21 is asking voters to approve a 30-year, 140-million dollar bond measure to build a new high school at the Wahtonka campus.
Stormwater Basin Cleaning Planned
The Dalles Public Works crews next week will be cleaning storm water catch basins in the downtown area. Cleaning catch basins allows for fast drainage into the storm water conveyance system. Crews are scheduled to work on First, Second, Third and Fourth Streets from the west side of Lincoln Street to the east side roundabout. Work will occur between 9:00 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. each night, to cause the least disruption to traffic and businesses. Public Works asks motorists to park so that the catch basins are accessible during the night work hours. Temporary traffic controls will not be used during these low traffic hours. Stay well clear of the vacuum truck when the truck lights are flashing. W. 6th Street from Cherry Heights Road through W 3rd Place are scheduled to be cleaned shortly after 7:00 a.m., with traffic controls, during the same week.
October 23 Prep Sports Roundup
Girls Soccer
Molalla 3, The Dalles 2: The Riverhawks’ loss opens the door for Gladstone to grab a share of the Tri-Valley Conference title with a win today at Molalla.
Man Sentenced For Sex Abuse Of Child
41-year-old Aselmo Arzeta received a seventeen-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in Wasco County Circuit Court to one count of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree, one count of Sodomy in the First Degree, and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. Arzeta pled guilty from NORCOR on Friday and was sentenced the same day. By pleading guilty, Arzeta admitted to multiple acts of sexual abuse on a child over a prolonged period of time. Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis says that victim came forward, and notified the authorities of the abuse. He noted the brave actions of the child in coming forward, and working with law enforcement, are the reasons the state was able to obtain a favorable outcome. In court, Special Deputy District Attorney Kara Davis noted she asked for a murder length sentence to represent the victim’s childhood that Arzeta murdered. In addition to the prison sentence, the court placed Arzeta on 60 months of post-prison supervision. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Anderson Says Klickitat County Should Be Able To Cover Landfill Shortfall
A Klickitat County Commissioner says they should be able to cover a reduction in the expected revenue from the Roosevelt Regional Landfill in 2024 through reserves. The Commission had known that Republic Services had lost a contract with Skagit County before entering its 2024 budget process, but in recent weeks learned of the loss of contracts with Spokane and Mason counties…for a total annual loss to Klickitat County’s share of tippage fees at the landfill of about $1.6 million Anderson says the Commission will be moving forward with helping Republic replace those contracts. Anderson did say the County had already been looking at a financial shortfall in 2025 and 2026 even without the loss of the landfill contracts.
D21 Ballots Reaching Voters’ Hands
The ballots for North Wasco County School District 21’s 140 million dollar bond measure to build a new high school in The Dalles should now be in the hands of the voters. D-21 Board Member Jose Aparicio says in his mind, the decision the community will make in regards to whether to move forward in the project should come down to the kids and the investment that is put into them. If passed the $140 million dollar bond would cost the average property owner approximately $2.73 per thousand dollars of assessed property value. The new high school would be built on the site of the current Wahtonka campus.
West Klickitat RFA Question On Ballots
Ballots for the November election should be arriving in mailboxes, and voters in White Salmon and Klickitat County Fire District 3 will be deciding on whether to approve the West Klickitat County Regional Fire Authority. It would combine FD 3 and White Salmon Fire into one agency with its own tax base. The new authority would have a property tax assessment of 76 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value, which is a seven cent increase in FD 3 but a bigger jump for White Salmon, where City Councilor Jim Ransier says fire services have been underfunded for many years, adding it will cost less to correct that with this plan than doing it on their own. The fire authority board would be made up of three people each from the City and the current FD 3.
Norris To Oversee Westside URA Effort
The City of Hood River has brought on a familiar face to help direct the Westside Urban Renewal project. The district itself doesn’t actually start until January 1, but City Manager Abigail Elder says they are moving ahead to the next step. They’ve named former municipal finance manager Will Norris to oversee the Westside district work. The intent of the district is to generate funds for the installation of infrastructure that will facilitate development in the Westside area.
The Dalles Public Works Asks For Water Line Inventory Help
The Dalles Public Works Department is asking for the help of its water customers to help meet new federal rules calling for municipalities to inventory all the pipes from the water main to where the service line connects to a building. Public Works Director Dave Anderson says they have never found any lead pipes, but they are required to go through the inventory process. To do that, Anderson says they have sent a brochure asking people to report the kind of pipes they have….and one of the steps includes doing a scratch test on the pipe. Along with the brochure that has been sent out, there is information at the City’s website at thedalles.org.
October 20-21 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Football
Hood River Valley 49, Centennial 18
LaSalle 38, The Dalles 0
LaCenter 51, Columbia 6
Dufur 44, Pilot Rock 6
St. Paul 53, Sherman 0
Adrian 66, Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 32
Goldendale 20, Cle Elum-Roslyn 0
Boys Soccer
The Dalles 2, Gladstone 1
Girls Soccer
Riverdale 2, Trout Lake-Glenwood 0
Saturday Schedule
Volleyball
Goldendale def. Zillah 3-2
Big Sky Conference Volleyball Tournament
Championship: Ione-Arlington def. South Wasco 25-15, 25-21, 25-20: The Redsides go to Damascus Christian for a Oregon Class 1A first round match on Wednesday.
Third Place: Condon def. Sherman 3-0: The Condon win eliminated Sherman from the state playoffs.