The special districts election on May 16 will be a very busy one in Hood River County, with the majority of the offices on the ballot with multiple candidates. All three Hood River County School District board positions are contested, with position 1 incumbent Chrissy Reitz opposed by Katelyn Logan, current position 3 seat holder Corinda Hankins Elliott seeking re-election against Joe Correa and Sarah Jensen Roth, and Brenda Bounds and David Stuben are the candidates for position 5. There is one contested Port of Hood River Commission race, with Jim Klaas and Tor Bicher filing for position 5. In addition, there are nine people running for three seats on the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District board. In Wasco County, the only contested race for the North Wasco County School District 21 board is for zone 1, with current member Adrian Lopez and Katie Kuehnl on the ballot.
Three Bills By Waters Pass Senate Committee
Three bills from Washington 17th District State Rep. Kevin Waters have been voted out of committee. All three bills were passed in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Tuesday. House Bill 1730 would allow youth between the ages of 18 to 20 to be employed in establishments traditionally classified as off-limits to persons under the age of 21, under specific and limited circumstances. Additionally, the committee passed House Bill 1731. which allow short-term rental operators, such as individuals who rent properties through Airbnb, to acquire permits to provide one complimentary bottle of wine to rental guests who are at least 21 years old, under certain conditions. And House Bill 1772, which would make it illegal to manufacture, import, offer, or sell in Washington a consumable product that contains cannabis or any form of tetrahydrocannabinol in combination with beer, wine, spirits, or any other type of liquor in the same product, is also moving forward. All three bills now wait for a vote from the entire Senate.
Little Royals Contest Starts
The 2023 Little Royals Contest for this year’s 42nd Northwest Cherry Festival is getting underway. One boy and one girl between the ages of 3 and 7 will be selected to represent Little Miss Royal Ann and Little Mister Royal Andy. The Little Royal Court gets crowned at the Coronation Breakfast on April 22 before the Cherry Festival Parade. The winner will receive a backpack full of goodies, a gift certificate to Fred Meyer’s, and get to ride in the Cherry Festival Parade. To nominate your child, fill out the application at NorthwestCherryFestival.com or get one online at Rivermark Community Credit Union or The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce until April 3, including a photograph of your child. Online voting will start April 5. More information is available at NorthwestCherryFestival.com.
NCPHD Lifting Its Mask Requirements
North Central Public Health District says it will lift statewide mask requirements on April 3 along with other healthcare facilities in Oregon. The state has left it up to local entities to decide whether they will continue, modify, or lift their mask policies. NCPHD officials say they will support any member of the public who wishes to continue masking for their own comfort level, adding those who visit their office will be asked to wear a mask if they are coughing or otherwise appear to be ill. The state announced the change in requirements in early March, giving healthcare facilities time to update their own masking policies. The state decided to lift the mask mandate because cases of COVID-19, flu and RSV were dropping. NCPHD officials say people at higher risk for severe disease, or who live with someone at higher risk, should still consider wearing masks in health care or any settings, to better protect themselves and those most vulnerable around them.
TD Art Center On Track To Be Preserved
The Dalles Art Center board now says the facility is on track to be preserved just a week after announcing that it was in financial trouble. Since last week’s announcement the Art Center needed a minimum of $3,500 in committed funding a month to avoid closing by mid-April, board member Philip Mascher said Tuesday they have received $25,500 in one-time donations, and a commitment for $2,200 in recurring monthly donations. That puts the Center needing an additional $1,300 in monthly donations to cover the basic costs of running it at the current level of staffing and opening hours. Wednesday’s statement by the Center board indicated with the support they have seen, all planned exhibits will continue as scheduled and no exhibit cancellations will occur. To contribute to The Dalles Art Center, go to thedallesartcenter.org.
County Commissioners Get Westside URA Overview
Hood River County Commissioners received an overview of the proposed Westside Urban Renewal District from City officials on Monday. Councilor Tim Counihan told the panel the district is intended to fund infrastructure, park development, and advance affordable housing development. Commissioner Arthur Babitz asked about the possible impacts the district could have on compression of general government local option levies now and in the future. City consultant Elaine Howard noted there is very little compression with the exception of the school district’s local option levy. She did say the County’s permanent property tax levy could see some compression loss, but probably not a lot. She did add they don’t have any hard data yet, and the impact on levies could change in the future. Because some of the urban renewal area might be outside of the city limits, the County would have a voice in establishment of the district.
HR School District Wraps Up Construction Projects
The Hood River County School District has been wrapping up a pair of construction projects. At Hood River Middle School, new office space and a new main entrance is open and being used, and conversion of the old office into a counseling center is being finished up. Hood River County School District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says getting a single point of entry at Hood River Middle School was part of an effort to improve security at all district buildings. At Parkdale Elementary, a new modular classroom is providing space for a third kindergarten classroom. Crews are doing exterior flat work around the building during the current spring break.
White Salmon Prepares For Community Outreach On Housing
The City of White Salmon is planning community surveys, walking tours, and hosted conversations with experts to engage residents in the conversation on housing needs. Mayor Marla Keethler says as City officials delve into this subject in the next few months, they need to gauge what the community’s vision is. She says that could involve breaking down barriers in the City codes that make building homes cost prohibitive for developers, and how zoning could be adjusted to encourage various types of housing. Keethler says White Salmon’s Planning Commission and City Council will be working on municipal housing codes over the next few months.
Cherry Fest One Month Away
The Northwest Cherry Festival is just one month away. The annual event in The Dalles will take place April 21-23. The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says vendor applications for the outdoor market are still being accepted. Those interested in being a vendor can inquire by emailing events@thedalleschamber.com or call the Chamber office at 541-296-2231. Applications for the Cherry Festival Parade are also currently available at northwestcherryfestival.org.
Suspect Sought In Double Murder North Of Goldendale
A search is underway for a man believed to have been the shooter in the murder of two people on Box Canyon Road north of Goldendale last week, while another man has been arrested in connection with the case. The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office says a warrant has been issued charging 31-year-old John Scott Raczykowski of Rufus with two counts of first degree murder in the shooting deaths of 35-year-old Jeremy Allen Wyatt and 34-year-old Elisha Ann King, both from Yakima. Klickitat County authorities were alerted Thursday night by the FBI in Yakima of a suspect that had been involved in the burning of two bodies on Yakama Nation land in the Toppenish area. Early Friday morning Goldendale Police, Klickitat County Sheriff’s, and FBI officers located a vehicle associated with one of the suspects in Goldendale, and took two subjects into custody, one of whom was determined to not be involved in the incident. 57-year-old Larry Duane Kleven of Goldendale was booked into the Klickitat County Jail for rendering criminal assistance and tampering with physical evidence. The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who may know where Raczykowski is located to call County Emergency Management at 509-773-4545. He is considered armed and dangerous.