Hood River County officials are reminding people to be careful when it comes to fire when in forestlands and campgrounds. County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says activity levels are up with the onset of summer weather, and there is a need to be mindful of the dangers of fire. He says campfires should not be lit unless in a fire ring in an improved campground. Hecksel says new for Hood River County is a personal fireworks use ordinance. The County Commission does have the ability to ban fireworks use if it deems necessary. Hecksel says they are not planning such an action at this time.
Bridge Work To Require Nighttime Closures Beginning June 20
The Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge will be closed to all traffic Sundays through Thursdays from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., and on Fridays from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. beginning Tuesday, June 20 through July 7, 2023. During the closures, crews will perform repairs to the steel truss members of the bridge. The work will include connection repairs, floorbeam knee brace repairs, rocker bearing modifications, debris removal, joint header repair, and sealing concrete cracks. The Port accepted a bid from Abhe & Svoboda of $460,928 and issued a Notice of Intent to Award on May 16. The final work schedule was determined on Friday. The project is overseen by bridge engineering firm HDR, Inc. Updates to the project work schedule will be posted on portofhoodriver.com.
Mosbrucker & Songer Plan Drug Town Hall
Washington State Fourteenth District Rep. Gina Mosbrucker and Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer will host a town hall meeting on June 20, on the statewide drug crisis. Mosbruckersays the town hall meeting will discuss concerns about the problem of drug abuse, addiction, and deaths from overdoses of hard drugs, including fentanyl and heroin. Mosbruckerwill also give an update of new legislation passed during a one-day special session on May 16 that she says provides a combination of accountability and treatment for those abusing drugs. The town hall meeting will be held at 7 p.m. June 20, at the Klickitat County Search and Rescue Training Center, 205 S. Columbus Ave., in Goldendale.
White Salmon Legion Plans Flag Retirement Ceremony
White Salmon American Legion Post 87 and Elks Lodge 1868 will perform an American flag retirement ceremony on Flag Day this Wednesday. The 30-minute event will start at 6 p.m. in Rheingarten Park to retire old, worn U.S. flags that have been submitted by Klickitat County citizens. In addition, Elks Lodge members will present a brief history of the American flag, while displaying eight, full size historical American flags. Citizens are invited to dispose of unserviceable U.S. flags of any size by depositing them in a box located at Hunsaker’s gas station in White Salmon. They will be collected and later ceremoniously retired, at Wednesday’s ceremony or a similar event. All community members are encouraged to attend.
Cows Wander In Sorosis Park Area
Several cows over the past few days have been seen wandering at large in the area of Sorosis Park and Fort Dalles Readiness Center in The Dalles. The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office says its dispatch center received a few calls about the cows at large over the weekend. Officers from the Sheriff’s Office and The Dalles Police Department attempted to round them up, but the bovines remained elusive. And the Sheriff’s Office reports Monday morning the herd got out again and was on the grounds at Columbia Gorge Community College. If you know who these adventurous cows belong to, the Sheriff’s Office asks you to contact their owner or Dispatch at 541-296-5454.
Wasco County To Buy Former GOBI Building
The Wasco County Commission has approved moving ahead with purchase of the former Greater Oregon Behavioral Health building on 401 East 3rd in The Dalles to house the County’s administrative functions under one roof. Commissioners approved moving ahead with the purchase of the 38,000 square foot building for up to $3.8 million. County Administrative Officer Tyler Stone says they’ve been looking at how best to put most of the County’s offices under one roof for a number of years, and when that happens citizens will have easier access to services. The County Courthouse would be dedicated to justice-related departments, and the County’s annex property could be sold and put back on the tax rolls. Commissioner Scott Hege pointed out there are a number of steps to be taken before the purchase is finalized and a plan developed to move into the building.
Pilot Uninjured In Crash Landing
The pilot of a single-engine airplane that was forced to make a crash landing on Wednesday afternoon north of Highway 14 near Jacob Williams Winery escaped without injury. Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer says 49-year-old Panat Thomas Pinit of Portland told officers that the plane’s engine quit, forcing him to land just before 3 p.m. Wednesday. Songer added the plane hit a ditch and flipped over on its top. Pinit was the only person on the plane, and was uninjured. Songer said information has been given to the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration for their investigation.
HR School Board Sets Timeline To Pick Interim Superintendent
The Hood River County School District board approved a timeline to hire an interim superintendent for the upcoming school year. The board approved posting the job immediately, intending to start interviews on approximately June 26 with the goal of making a hire on July 11 and having that person begin work July 17. Board chair Corinda Hankins Elliott emphasized while this is a compressed timeline, the search for a permanent replacement for the outgoing Rich Polkinghorn will be lengthier and start early next year. In other business, the board approved the proposed district budget for the 2023-24 school year. And Parkdale Elementary School principal Gus Hedberg was tabbed as the district’s new human resources director.
Cherry Harvest Late, But Looks Good
A cold and wet spring has led to cherry harvest start dates in the Columbia Gorge to be about two weeks behind normal. OSU Extension’s Ashley Thompson says that has been the situation for the entire West Coast, but she expects harvesting to begin sometime after Monday. Thompson says the cherry crop is looking good right now. Thompson adds that the harvest should hit the Fourth of July market window, even though some of the varieties might be different than in a typical year.
Burn Ban In Wasco & Hood River Counties Starts Sunday
A burn ban is being put in place by the Oregon Department of Forestry and all the fire districts in Hood River and Wasco County beginning Sunday. With the burn ban in effect, all residential burning is prohibited including burn piles and burn barrels. Residents are encouraged to use other methods of disposal for yard debris such as composting or chipping, and remain cautious if you decide to have a campfire, conduct an agricultural burn, or use fireworks. For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit ODFcentraloregon.com.