The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office is trying to identify whoever illegally dumped loads of asphalt and concrete on private property off of Lower Mill Road in Odell. The Sheriff’s Office said in a statement the dumping occurred on the afternoon of September 28. The statement goes on to say the vehicle that was used is a newer model Ram “dually” style pickup. It has distinct black wheels and a black grill. The single male occupant of the vehicle was wearing a black t-shirt with a large orange logo on the back. Pictures are posted on the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. Anyone with information about the identity of the driver or location of the vehicle are asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 541 386-2711.
Wasco County Burn Ban To Be Lifted October 16
With the recent and forecasted cool wet weather, fire districts in Wasco County and the Oregon Department of Forestry have agreed to lift the seasonal burn ban on October 16. This will allow for burning in barrels and of small debris piles. Larger slash pile burning is not included in this lifting of the ban. ODF Fire Managers and the Wasco County Fire Chiefs remind residents that they need to check with local fire districts to ensure that burning is allowed on a given day, and to follow all instructions after obtaining any necessary permits. Wind is a big factor that can affect the spread of fire from debris piles. Watch the weather forecasts and ensure you have a fire safe area cleared around your pile with water and tools readily available. Monitor your pile until it has consumed and is out, as unattended piles can rekindle and spread at a later time without warning.
Vehicle Fire Near Stevenson Spreads To Surrounding Wildland
A vehicle fire spread into surrounding wildland near Stevenson on Thursday. The Stevenson Fire Department says its crews and Skamania County’s deputies went to the scene of the fire on the power lines between Red Bluff Road and Blue Lake Road, but their access was delayed by locked gates and rough roads. When crews arrived on the scene they found the fire had gone into surrounding wildlands, with strong east wind driving it in to multiple slash piles. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources ordered a helicopter from Dallepsort to make several bucket drops on the fire until more DNR and Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area resources arrived on scene. Stevenson Fire Department noted the fire illustrates the potential for rapid fire spread still exists.
October 5 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Football
St. Paul 57, Dufur 0
South Wasco 48, C.S. Lewis Academy 6
Volleyball
King’s Way Christian def. Columbia 25-15, 17-25, 25-19, 25-10
Castle Rock def. Stevenson 3-0
Sherman def. Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 25-18, 25-13, 22-25, 25-10
Dufur def. Horizon Christian 25-9, 25-12, 25-10
Trout Lake-Glenwood-Klickitat def. Lyle-Wishram 25-12, 25-12, 25-14
Goldendale def. Cle Elum-Roslyn 25-22, 25-17, 25-18
Boys Soccer
Trout Lake-Glenwood 4, Columbia Christian 0: The Mustangs maintain a six point lead in Special District 7.
Open Door Christian 8, Horizon Christian 0
Girls Soccer
Stevenson 1, Castle Rock 0
Goldendale 6, Granger 0
Cross Country
Both The Dalles boys and girls finished second at the Mustang Invitational in Heppner. Naylei Vergara finished eighth for the Riverhawks in the girls’ race, while Josef Lutz was ninth in the boys’ run.
Goldendale’s Emma Meagher finished second in the girls’ portion of an EWAC meet at Warden. The Timberwolf boys finished fourth in the team standings.
Four Finalists Announced For HR County Administrator Position
Hood River County Commissioners have selected four finalists to succeed retiring County Administrator Jeff Hecksel who will come to Hood River next week for interviews. The quartet includes former San Bernardino, California City Manager Robert Field, former Glenwood Springs, Colorado City Manager Beverli Marshall, former Moses Lake City Manager Allison Willliams, and current Niceville, Florida Deputy City Manager Chad Morris. A public reception for the four candidates will take place on Thursday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 in the Best Western Hood River Inn Trilium Room. The public will be able to provide written comments to the County Commission on the candidates. The Commission will interview each of the four candidates next Friday.
MCCFL Decides To Stop After Hours Visits To Hospitals & Jail
Mid-Columbia Center For Living decided it will no longer to not respond to calls for mental health services from the two hospitals in Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties and NORCOR after normal working hours. Center Executive Director Al Barton says they have been unable to fill three positions that are key to those efforts, leading to a difficult decision they didn’t want to make. Barton says Providence Hood River already has the capacity to detain those at risk to themselves or others, and they are meeting with Adventist Health Columbia Gorge to be able to mirror that process. He added their hiring process is impacted by the same things other employers have in the Gorge, particularly housing issues.
Planned Burns Set For Barlow Ranger District
Fire personnel on the Barlow Ranger District plan to burn up to 427 acres in the Mt. Hood National Forest this fall. Burning operations could begin as early as Friday and continue through the next few weeks if weather and moisture levels remain favorable. The planned burns are in the South Rock and Rocky 79 prescribed fire units, located about three miles southwest of Pine Hollow and five miles west of Wamic, within the footprint of the Central Wasco County All Lands Joint Chief Project. Prescribed burning in this area will improve landscape resilience to disease and fire as well as increase overall forest health and wildlife habitat. Firefighters successfully burned 180 acres in the South Rock unit last spring and hope to complete the remaining 220 acres this fall. Rocky 79 will be the first prescribed fire unit to receive treatment as part of the Rocky Restoration Project. Access to roads within the burn perimeter may be temporarily restricted while the burn is active. Smoke may be visible in the vicinity during the burn and for a few days afterward.
Chinook Retention To Continue Upstream Of Bonneville Dam
Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington decided that Chinook retention can remain open upstream of Bonneville Dam after October 15. Effective October 16 through December 31, retention of Chinook is allowed in the mainstem Columbia River from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Oregon-Washington state line upstream of McNary Dam. Chinook and coho can be retained from Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam through October 31, and hatchery steelhead can be retained beginning November 1. Chinook and coho can be retained from The Dalles Dam to the Oregon-Washington state line through the end of the year. All other permanent regulations remain in effect.
October 3 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
The Dalles 3, Molalla 1: The Riverhawks stay one point ahead of Madras atop the Tri-Valley Conference standings.
Girls Soccer
The Dalles 3, Molalla 2
Valley Catholic 6, Trout Lake-Glenwood 0
Goldendale 7, Columbia (Burbank) 0
Volleyball
Stevenson def. Columbia 3-1
Trout Lake-Klickitat-Glenwood def. Horizon Christian 25-10, 25-8, 20-25, 25-20
Heppner def. Dufur 25-19, 18-25, 25-20, 24-26, 15-7
Goldendale def. Highland 3-0
October 2 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
Hood River Valley 2, Lakeridge 1: The Eagles handed the Pacers their first loss of the season.
Trout Lake-Glenwood 2, North Clackamas Christian 1: The Mustangs now have a six point lead atop the Special District 7 standings, with a 7-0-1 record in league play.
Willamette Valley Christian 3, Horizon Christian 0
Volleyball
Hood River Valley def. Centennial 26-24, 15-25, 25-21, 24-26, 15-9
Crook County def. The Dalles 25-22, 19-25, 25-17, 26-24