A fire that broke out on Sunday afternoon in the 4700 block of Orchard Road in The Dalles area is estimated at 165 acres in size. A statement from a unified fire command of the Oregon Department of Forestry and Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue said firefighters made significant progress overnight. Crews successfully completed planned firing operations, with those operations concluding at approximately 2:00 a.m. Resources assigned to the fire Monday include one 20-person hand crew and six fire engines, along with Unified Command and overhead personnel. Crews will continue working throughout the day on mop-up, strengthening containment lines, extinguishing remaining hotspots, and removing hazardous trees where necessary. One barn and one small outbuilding were lost in the fire. No other buildings or residences have been damaged. Residents and travelers in the area should expect to see smoke throughout the day. Interior pockets of vegetation will continue to burn and smolder as firefighters work through the fire area. Officials note the presence of smoke does not necessarily indicate that the fire has escaped established control lines.
Hood River Council Embarking On Visioning Process
The Hood River City Council is considering embarking on a visioning process that asks the broad question: “what do we want Hood River to be 10-20 years from now?” The City last did this in full in 1995, with an update in 2006. City Manager Abigail Elder says the visioning would give definition to what the City should look like and be in 20 years. The Council will discuss an overview of what a visioning process would like at their meeting Monday evening at 6 p.m. in Hood River City Hall.
Sherman County To Lift Seasonal Fire Ban Thursday
Sherman County’s seasonal fire ban will be lifted on Thursday. The Sherman County Fire Defense Board issued a notice that improved weather and conditions now allow a safe but cautious return to regulated burning activities. The ban lift on Thursday will allow residential burn barrels with permits, agricultural burning with proper notification, recreational campfires in approved areas, and the use of charcoal, wood, and propane grills. Be sure to follow all city and fire district rules, keep water and tools ready for suppression, supervise all fires at all times, fully extinguish before leaving, and check wind conditions. Some areas may still have site-specific restrictions.
Mosier To Remove Invasive Trees For Public Park
The first step toward developing a public park between Mosier Creek and the new Jacob’s Skatepark will be the removal of invasive black locust trees on Wednesday and Thursday. The City of Mosier and Main Street Mosier say the black locust trees are non-native and release compounds that make it difficult for other species, including native plants, to grow in the area. Arborists consulted on the removal say the trees also have insect infestations, causing them to die from the top down. After the black locusts are removed, the site will be replanted with a variety of native trees. Jacob’s Skatepark will be closed Wednesday and Thursday to allow for the work to be done. Mosier Creek Confluence Park is being developed on City-owned land by Main Street Mosier.
TD Stormwater Work Downtown This Week
The Dalles Public Works crews will be cleaning storm water catch basins in the downtown area this week. Crews are scheduled to work on 2nd, 3rd and 4th Streets from the west side of Lincoln Street to the east side roundabout. Work will occur between 10:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. each night, to cause the least disruption to traffic and businesses. The City asks people 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. West 6th Street from Cherry Heights Road through West 3rd Place is also scheduled to be cleaned this week shortly after 7:00 a.m. each day, with traffic controls to be used for that work. Cleaning catch basins allows for fast drainage into the storm water conveyance system, protecting property and the environment.
September 25-26 Prep Sports Roundup
Football
Hood River Valley 35, Hillsboro 28
The Dalles 37, Gladstone 6
Columbia 25, Medical Lake 22
Castle Rock 49, Stevenson 12
Wallowa 52, South Wasco 20
Joseph 62, Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 14
Sherman 80, Elgin 52
Volleyball
Columbia def. Castle Rock 3-2
Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat def. Griswold 3-0
South Wasco def. Wallowa 3-0
Cross Country
The Dalles won both the boys and girls titles at the Bridgette Nelson Invitational at Sorosis Park. Melody Stock of Trout Lake was the girls’ winner, and Wyatt Neff of Culver the boys winner.
Boys Water Polo
Hood River Valley 10, Summit 9
Girls Water Polo
Summit 8, Hood River Valley 5
Lakeridge 10, Hood River Valley 0
Hood River Valley 12, Lake Oswego 1
I-84 Accident Leads To Arrest
Oregon State Police are investigating a serious-injury crash involving a semi-truck and passenger car on Interstate 84 near Arlington. The crash happened Thursday morning at about 6:49, near milepost 137. State Police say a Freightliner towing three trailers, driven by 32-year-old Edwin Alexander Gomez of Pasco, Washington, left the eastbound lanes for an unknown reason, crossed the median, and struck a westbound Ford Edge. The Ford rolled over. Its driver, 51-year-old Pratapa Reddy Koppula of West Hills, California, suffered minor injuries. Gomez also suffered minor injuries. A passenger in the semi, 26-year-old Ashleigh Darlene Krupkat of Kennewick, was seriously injured and taken to an area hospital. Police arrested Gomez on suspicion of DUII, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, and fourth-degree assault. Westbound I-84 was affected for about eight hours while crews handled hazardous materials, investigated the crash, recovered the vehicles, cleared debris, and repaired the median.
Seven Arrested After Warrant Operation
Seven people were detained Friday morning after a law enforcement operation in west The Dalles. The Northern Oregon Regional Tactical Team assisted the Mid-Columbia Interagency Narcotics Team in serving a search warrant. The warrant authorized officers to search a specified location for evidence. No one was injured during the operation. Nearby residents were notified of the activity through a reverse 911 call. The investigation remains ongoing. Any potential charges will be referred to the Wasco County District Attorney’s Office for consideration. The operation involved the Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam and Hood River County Sheriff’s Offices, along with The Dalles Police Department.
Scenic Area Prescribed Burns Could Begin Monday
The Columbia Gorge Community College Small Business Development Center is launching two nine-month programs designed to help local business owners, managers and employees strengthen their operations. The Retail and Restaurant Small Business Management programs run from October through June, combining monthly expert-led workshops with one-on-one business advising. The Retail program begins October 5th and is offered online. A full $900 scholarship means qualifying participants can attend at no cost, while funding lasts. Topics include customer service, finances, digital marketing, artificial intelligence tools, hiring and inventory management. The Restaurant program starts October 13th at the CGCC Hood River campus, with some sessions held at local businesses. A $700 scholarship reduces the nine-hundred-dollar tuition to two hundred dollars. Both programs have limited scholarships and space, available first come, first served. Registration and more information are available through the Oregon Small Business Development Center Network or by contacting CGCC’s Small Business Development Center.
CGCC SBDC Launches Business Retail & Restaurant Programs
The Columbia Gorge Community College Small Business Development Center is launching two nine-month programs designed to help local business owners, managers and employees strengthen their operations. The Retail and Restaurant Small Business Management programs run from October through June, combining monthly expert-led workshops with one-on-one business advising. The Retail program begins October 5th and is offered online. A full $900 scholarship means qualifying participants can attend at no cost, while funding lasts. Topics include customer service, finances, digital marketing, artificial intelligence tools, hiring and inventory management. The Restaurant program starts October 13th at the CGCC Hood River campus, with some sessions held at local businesses. A $700 scholarship reduces the nine-hundred-dollar tuition to two hundred dollars. Both programs have limited scholarships and space, available first come, first served. Registration and more information are available through the Oregon Small Business Development Center Network or by contacting CGCC’s Small Business Development Center.