The Dalles Art Center has hired Sally Johnson as its new executive director. Volunteering since March as interim director and helping develop a financial sustainability plan for The Dalles Art Center with its board of directors, Johnson now moves into the permanent role. Johnson, a former REI executive where she most recently headed local marketing, brand engagement, & partnerships, holds Master of Business Administration in Sustainable Business from Presidio Graduate School and Bachelor of Arts from Bennington College where she majored in visual arts and literature. From 2020-22 she was director of business development at Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center in Carnation, Washington, building corporate partnership programs, growing members and subscribers, helping the organization to inspire people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward natural resources for future generations. She is a graduate of Essentials of Development Training from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and a member of the Public Relations Society of America.
Multnomah Falls Parking Permits Begin May 26
A Timed Use Permit will be required for visitors using the Multnomah Falls parking lot at I-84 exit 31 daily between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., from May 26 through September 4 this year. Forest Service officials say the purpose of the permit system is to help reduce congestion, increase safety and improve the overall visitor experience. Like last year, Timed Use Permits will be available online at Recreation.gov for a $2 transaction fee per vehicle. Permits will be released two weeks prior to the visit date. There will also be a limited amount of in-person, same-day permits (no fee) at locations such as the Gateway to the Gorge Visitor Center in Troutdale and the Cascade Locks Historical Museum. Each permit lists a one-hour time slot and visitors may arrive anytime during that time and they can stay for as long as they would like. A timed use permit reservation does not guarantee parking. Options for visiting Multnomah Falls without a permit include taking public transit through Columbia Area Transit, modify the timing of your trip to before or after the permit times and peak visitation, or plan your visit to Multnomah Falls prior to Memorial Day and after Labor Day, when there is less visitation demand.
Scaife Named New Pinchot Deputy Forest Supervisor
Dan Scaife has been selected as the new Deputy Forest Supervisor on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, effective next week. Scaife began his USDA Forest Service career on the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming and has since held numerous program management, supervisory, and leadership positions within the agency. More recently he was a District Ranger on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest and is currently the Deputy Forest Supervisor on El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico. Scaife has worked to develop project planning efficiencies to deliver on large-scale vegetation restoration and fuels programs. He also brings experience in supporting prescribed fire and wildfire response and has managed large incidents that have resulted in fire salvage, forest health, and restoration projects. He also has helped local communities with natural resource management issues in Ethiopia and Russia in support of the International Programs branch of the Forest Service.
May 12-13 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Hood River Valley 9, Hillsboro 4: The Eagles clinched a berth in the Oregon Class 5A playoffs with the win.
Big Sky League Playoff: Weston-McEwen 12, Sherman 4
Softball
Wilsonville 12, Hood River Valley 2
Columbia 15, LaCenter 0
King’s Way Christian sweeps Stevenson 17-2 and 13-3
Elgin-Imbler def. Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 15-0 and 16-1
Girls Lacrosse
Summit 14, Hood River Valley 10
Track and Field
Columbia’s girls finished a close second to LaCenter at the Trico League Championships at Seton Catholic. Ella Zimmerman won both hurdles races for the Bruins, while Jessica Polkinghorn won the shot put and javelin. Stevenson received first place finishes from Olivia Fauth in the long jump and Rebecca Townsend in the triple jump. Columbia earned 19 entries for this coming Thursday’s Southwest Washington Class 1A regional meet, again at Seton Catholic, while Stevenson grabbed 12. In boys competition, Stevenson accumulated 10 regional entries, and Columbia 6.
South Wasco was the boys’ winner and Sherman the girls victor at the Pirate Invitational in Bickleton. Sherman’s Sophie Hulke swept the girls’ throws, while Landon Sanchey of Glenwood won a pair of boys’ events.
Boys Tennis
Paul Capek and Paul Kelly won the boys’ doubles title at the Oregon Class 4A Special District 4 tournament in Stanfield. The Riverhawk pair defeated Koda and Evan Alvarez of Four Rivers 6-4, 6-4 in the final. The state tournament is in Corvallis this coming weekend.
May 11 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
The Dalles 23, Estacada 4: Nolan Donivan went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs as the Riverhawks nailed down second place in the Tri-Valley Conference in the final game of the league season.
Washington District 5 Class 2B Baseball Tournament
Cle Elum-Roslyn 13, Goldendale 8
Softball
The Dalles 12, Estacada 0: Leyah Crichton-Tunai capped the Riverhawks’ seven-run sixth inning with a three-run homer. Maddie Brock also hit a home run as The Dalles finished an unbeaten Tri-Valley Conference season.
Camas 5, Columbia 4: The Papermakers handed the Bruins their first loss of the season, snapping an 18-game winning sterak.
Boys Soccer
Southwest Washington Class 1A Tournament
Columbia 5, Eatonville 0: The Bruins clinched a state playoff berth with the win. CHS will finish the district tournament with a third place game against King’s Way Christian on Saturday.
Assistance Sought In Shooting Incident Investigation
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office is seeking assistance in identifying those involved in a shooting incident north of Carson last Saturday night within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The Sheriff’s Office says at about 11:30 Saturday night, campers located just off the Forest Service 65 road about two miles north of Panther Creek Campground reported hearing a “revving” engine from a vehicle. Shortly after that, the campers reported their camp area being shot at numerous times from a 9mm caliber firearm. The campers sheltered behind a tree and waited for the suspect vehicle to leave, then left the area to obtain cell phone service to call law enforcement. The suspect vehicle was described as a lifted Toyota Tacoma or similar type vehicle. The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office is requesting anyone who has information regarding this shooting incident to call 509-427-9490 and dial “0.”
Klickitat County Clarifies What Outdoor Burn Ban Allows
Klickitat County Commissioners have voted to clarify outdoor burning ban regulations in unincorporated areas, with a goal of clearly defining what is allowed and not allowed during a burn ban. The burn ban prohibits combustion of material of any type in an open fire or in an outdoor container without providing for the control of combustion and emissions. That includes debris piles and campfires that utilize wood, pressed logs, wood pellets, paper, cardboard, briquettes, or other solid fuels, all incendiary devices, all containers and devices burning solid fuel with uncontained combustion or open flame, lanterns, outdoor stoves, and Tiki torches that use non-pressurized liquid gas or fuel, solid fuel candles that are not enclosed within a metal or glass container or with exhaust ports greater than ½ inch, and weed burners. Use of enclosed containers designed and built for outdoor burning such as barbecues, smokers, outdoor ovens or stoves is allowed. Also, liquid Fuel burning devices including ones with an open flame that have a shut off valve and do not incorporate any solid fuels in the combustion process can be used. Complete details are available at klickitatcounty.org.
Wasco County Watching FEMA Flood Map Uses
Wasco County Commissioners are watching the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s process of updating flood maps, and its planned implementation of a National Marine Fisheries Service biological opinion to tighten various uses of lands in some flood plains. County Commissioner Scott Hege says the Oregon’s land use system already has rules in place to deal with those lands, and some of the NMFS rules run counter to them. FEMA has scheduled open houses on the flood plain maps on May 23 at The Dalles High School and May 24 at Wamic Community Center, both running from 5:30 to 7:30.
Drug Possession Law Talks Continue In Washington
Talks continue in advance of next Tuesday’s planned special session of the Washington Legislature to try to find a compromise for a statewide drug possession law. The state Supreme Court struck down Washington’s felony drug possession law in 2021, after which legislators temporarily made drug possession a misdemeanor. But that expires July 1, and legislators remain split, with some wanting to go to a gross misdemeanor as a way to encourage users to seek treatment and others wanting to stay at a misdemeanor. Goldendale Republican Representative Gina Mosbrucker is involved in the negotiations, and she says there is no deal as of yet. Washington Governor Jay Inslee did set the special session to be 30 days in length, even though legislators are not expected to go to Olympia until there is a deal in place. If no legislation is passed, many local governments are preparing to pass their own ordinances, which some say could set up a confusing patchwork of drug laws in Washington.
Klickitat County Zone 1 Burn Ban Starts May 15
Klickitat County will institute a burn ban in Zone 1, in the easternmost part of the county, on Monday. Burn Ban Zone One defined as lands East of the Klickitat County Fire District #7 eastern boundary to include but not limited to Klickitat County Fire Districts #2, 9 and 10, and outside the jurisdiction of the Yakama Nation and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. The issuance of burning permits except for authorized agricultural burning will be prohibited. Residential barbecues will be allowed. Information for Klickitat County Burn Ban Zones 2 and 3 will be released as soon as the 2023 dates are finalized. Detailed information is available at klickitatcounty.org.