Final classification for forestlands within Hood River County has been adopted by the Hood River-Wasco Counties Forestland Classification Committee and filed with the County Department of Records and Assessment.  Revisions to the 2012 classification include administrative corrections to lands where the criteria was not applied correctly, classifying CRP as Class 2 or 3 forestland as appropriate, classifying newly identified forestland, identifying lands which no longer meet the definition of forestland and improved accuracy of the classification due to better technology and newer data.  Beginning July 1, all classified forestland in Hood River County will be included in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Forest Patrol and will have wildland fire protection provided by ODF’s Central Oregon District.  Landowners who receive this service will see a Forest Patrol Assessment on their county tax statement later this fall.

Boys Basketball

Skyview 67, Hood River Valley 62

Mabton 64, Goldendale 50

Goldendale 81, White Swan 53

  Girls Basketball

Hood River Valley 46, Condon 31

Seton Catholic 60, Columbia 51

Mabton 53, Goldendale 33

Goldendale 55, White Swan 33

  Girls Wrestling

Hood River Valley’s Ximena Galvez finished second at 110 pounds to lead the Eagles to a fifth place team finish at the Bob Beisell Invitational in Forest Grove.  Columbia’s Jessica Polkinghorn finished third at 155.

  Goldendale’s Kali Watson was second at 130 pounds at the Othello Lady Huskie Invitational.

  Boys Wrestling

Goldendale’s Victor Canche finished sixth at 160 pounds to lead the Timberwolves’ effort at the Rumble in the Valley Tournament at Prosser

 

Hood River Police released the identity of the burglary suspect who remained in a motel room for over four hours Wednesday afternoon after fleeing an attempt by officers to arrest him.  Hood River Police Chief Neal Holste says 26-year-old Pedro Ayala-Solorio Jr. was lodged at NORCOR on burglary, theft, and criminal mischief charges in connection with a burglary January 14 at Cascade Chevron that included the theft of a large number of lottery tickets.  Ayala had several lottery tickets in his possession when contacted by officers on Wednesday, and a search of his room at the Lone Pine Motel yielded over $2,000 worth of tickets.  After being advised he was under arrest for burglary, Holste said Ayala ran from the police, grabbed an object he claimed was a firearm, and barricaded himself in his room.  After the Northern Oregon Regional Tactical Response Team spent four-and-a-half hours using verbal negotiations, tactical tools, and pepper spray, Ayala surrendered.

Mid-Columbia Community Action will be conducting a federally-mandated point-in-time homeless count in the region next week.  Community Action Executive Director Kenny LaPoint says the count includes both those living in shelter and those living on the streets…and this year people who are “doubled up,” or living a times with friends and at times on the streets, will be counted as well.  LaPoint says a staging station will be set up and open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Community Action office on 312 East 4th in The Dalles this Monday through Wednesday and at the Hood River Alliance Church on 2650 Montello Wednesday and Thursday, where people can be counted and receive access to resources, food, and supplies.  Volunteers will also be going out into the community.

Final classification for forestlands within Wasco County was adopted by the Hood River-Wasco Counties Forestland Classification Committee this week.  Two public hearings were held in December seeking public input before finalizing the classification.  Beginning July 1 all classified forestland in Wasco County will be included in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Forest Patrol and will have wildland fire protection provided by ODF’s Central Oregon District.  Landowners who receive this service will see a Forest Patrol Assessment on their county tax statement later this fall.  The final classification was filed with the Wasco County Clerk’s Office Thursday, initiating a thirty-day appeal period for the classification.  Any landowner who is aggrieved by the classification may appeal in Circuit Court.

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.1% in December, edging down from 4.2% in November, marking the 20th consecutive month of declines in the state’s unemployment rate.  Nonfarm payroll employment in Oregon rose by 8,200 in December, following a revised gain of 9,200 jobs in November, and State Employment Economist Gail Krumenauer says that capped a strong year of job growth.  Krumenauer did say the impact of the Omicron variant on jobs would not be reflected in these numbers.  If there is a significant impact, that will be reflected in January numbers to be released in early March.

The annual Eagle Watch at The Dalles Dam Visitor Center will take place on Friday and Saturday the next two weeks.  Corps park rangers and partners from the U.S. Forest Service and the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will provide activities, educational programs, live raptor viewings, and eagle watching.  The Dalles Lock and Dam Park Ranger Heather Clemons says every winter around 60 bald eagles migrate from Canada and Alaska in search of food, and the area around the dam provides a secluded area for them.  The Dalles Dam Visitor Center is located just north of Interstate 84 at exit 87, then east on Bret Clodfelter Way.  The event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays the next two weeks.  All activities will take place outside.

White Salmon City Councilors extended their moratorium on new short-term rental properties at their meeting on Wednesday to allow for more time to finish work on new STR regulations. The moratorium extension was approved for six months, but Mayor Marla Keethler says it will expire when the new regulations are adopted and go into effect in the latter part of February. The moratorium extension was approved unanimously. The Council received no comment on the moratorium extension during a hearing before the vote.

Wrestling

Hood River Valley 66, Columbia 4

Hood River Valley 39, Riverside 33

Riverside 54, Columbia 15:  HRV’s Connor Tennant and Columbia’s Sawyer Muehlbauer each won two matches on the night.

Hood River County Commissioners met with Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer to discuss a set of legislative concepts being put forward by Blumenauer and Senator Ron Wyden on recreation enhancement, wildfire resiliency, and conservation of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge.      Commissioners had wide ranging questions and concerns, but many revolved around forest management, wildfire, and the impact on adjacent County forestlands.  County Forester Doug Thiesies told Blumenauer the focus might be on federal lands, but any action leads to collateral effects and risk for the County’s land holdings.  Commissioner Arthur Babitz offered that his experience with the Forest Service is that it’s funding and money that’s needed rather than new departments and designations.  Blumenauer told the Commission the federal government needs to change its approach to managing federal lands and should spend more on that, but it is a hard sell in Congress.  Commission Chair Mike Oates invited Blumenauer to take a tour of the County forestlands to see how they are used and managed.