A three-year-old child died on Saturday after being found in the Columbia River following a report of the youngster being missing from the Columbia River Hotel and Conference Center in The Dalles. According to a statement from The Dalles Police Department, the child was visiting the area with family from Washington. The child left the family’s room and got outside the hotel. Officers from The Dalles Police, Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and Intertribal Police all responded to the area and officers began to search for the child within minutes of the emergency call. Family members were also searching for the child who was located in the Columbia River near the Oregon shoreline. The child was transported to Adventist Health Columbia Gorge Hospital in The Dalles, but lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful. The Columbia Gorge Major Crimes Team was activated to investigate, and the Wasco County District Attorney was consulted during the death investigation.
Chip Seal Work In The Dalles Set For Week Of June 16
City of The Dalles crews and contractors will begin work on several pavement preservation projects next Monday. The chip seal projects will require short duration road closures between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at each location on the date the work is scheduled to take place. Detours will be in place during work hours. Proceed with caution in these areas during construction times and observe all temporary traffic control devices. A full list of projects and a 2025 The Dalles Pavement Preservation Program map can be viewed at thedalles.org/summerstreetmaintenance. If you have questions, contact The Dalles Public Works Department at (541) 296-5401.
Yasui Exhibition Opens At Oregon Historical Society On Friday
The Oregon Historical Society in will open its exhibition The Yasui Family: An American Story on Friday. It examines relevant questions about citizenship, immigration, and belonging through the lens of an Oregon family with deep roots in the Hood River area. The exhibition follows in particular the story of Masuo Yasui, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1903 at the age of 16. He joined his brothers and his father working for the Oregon Short Line, where he stayed for two years before moving to Portland. In 1908, Masuo moved to Hood River, which had an established community of Japanese immigrants who came to the valley to work in agriculture and logging., and with his brother opened the Yasui Bros. Co. store, which carried a mixture of Japanese and western goods. The day after the Pearl Harbor attack, the U.S. Treasury Department shut down the store. The exhibition will be on display at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland through September 6.
HR County Fireworks Ban & ODF Regulated Use Closure Starts Next Week
Fireworks will be prohibited throughout Hood River County beginning this coming Sunday night at 11:59, following the Regulated Use Closure to be implemented by the Oregon Department of Forestry 12:01 next Monday morning. The Central Oregon District of ODF declared fire season last Monday. Hood River County is prohibiting the discharge of fireworks in its unincorporated areas until the Oregon State Forester suspends or terminates the closure. Beginning this Sunday, the Regulated Use Closure prohibits open campfires throughout the County Forest. Campfires will only be permitted inside fire rings at the Kingsley Campground through a special waiver until further notice. Portable cooking stoves that use liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed in forested areas. All vehicles on County Forest roads must be equipped with either a shovel and a gallon of water or a 2.5-pound fire extinguisher or larger. As part of the restrictions, County Forest trails will be closed to motorized use on Middle Mountain, Pinemont, and Fir Mountain due to fire danger. Motorized Off-Highway Vehicle use will still be allowed in Hood River County’s Northwest Area Trail System through a special ODF waiver until further notice.
NWPRD To Look At Redesign Of City Park
Northern Wasco Parks and Recreation District is looking for individuals to be part of a committee to redesign City Park in The Dalles. District Executive Director Scott Baker says the playground is nearing the end of its useful life, and the sewer line to the restroom is failing. He says the need to move the restroom to a different location to connect to a new sewer line leads to more questions about how the park is laid out. Baker adds they have done some intermediate improvements on City Park, and emphasizes there is a fairly lengthy timeline to go further, starting with gathering public input this year, gathering grant funds and getting a design done next year, with a goal of some construction beginning in 2027. Baker says a survey on what people would like to see at City Park should go on the district website at nwprd.org later this week. Those who would like to give input can email admin@nwprd.org.
Skamania County Search & Rescue Missions Continue To Rise
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says it experienced a 400% increase in search and rescue missions in May compared to the same month one year ago. Sheriff Summer Scheyer says that’s in spite of continued efforts to communicate the need for preparedness and warning of the dangers Skamania County recreational opportunities inherently hold, the majority of the missions are a result of people who do not live in the area acting in negligent or reckless way while recreating. Scheyer says she is working on a county ordinance where an individual could be cited if they are found to be reckless or negligent in their actions where search and rescue is requested to respond. She wants to deter current behavior while trying to recoup the financial expenditures from the search and rescue missions.
Gorge Food Access Survey Underway
Oregon State University Extension is in the midst of its Gorge Food Access Survey, part of its food security assessment. OSU Extension Food Systems Coordinator Grace Wesson says it has been ten years since the last food security assessment has been done. Wesson says when the assessment was done a decade ago, one in three households worried about running out of food, and one out of five actually do. She added the information gathered in the assessment generated more than $25 million in grants for the community. To take the food access survey, link to it through the Hood River County OSU Extension Facebook page, or go to beav.es/gorgefoodsurvey.
City Of The Dalles Issue Water Advisory
Two of the City of The Dalles three wells that are used to meet summer water demands are currently out of service due to unexpected mechanical failures. City officials are encouraging water customers to minimize or avoid unnecessary outdoor water use for the next two weeks to avoid any water supply issues. Some of the things that customers can do to reduce outdoor water use include temporarily reducing lawn and garden watering…using a sprinkler, drip irrigation or soaker hose for landscape and garden watering rather than an open hose…and using a commercial car wash that recycles much of its water rather than washing vehicles at home. If washing vehicles at home, using a spring-loaded nozzle rather than an open hose is recommended. Repairs to the wells are expected to be completed by the end of June. Chenowith Water PUD customers are not affected by this advisory. Customers can confirm their water provider at thedalles.org/waterdistrictmap. For more information, contact the Public Works Department at (541) 296-5401.
Wasco County Approves Q-Life Loan
Wasco County Commissioners have approved a $3 million intergovernmental loan to Q-Life to help that agency with matching funds for a federal grant from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The grant would help increase fiber access in areas of Wasco County that do not have it. County Commissioner Scott Hege, who is also on the Q-Life board, noted they haven’t been successful in previous grant attempts, but he notes the state of Oregon has been allocated $700 million in this program. The Dalles City Council had already entered into a similar IGA with Q-Life.
Klickitat County Commission To Discuss Animal Shelter
Klickitat County Commissioners will discuss what can be done to in some way fund operations for an animal shelter at a workshop next Thursday. Klickitat County is one of just four counties in Washington that does not have a dog shelter. It received a state grant to build one a number of years ago, but money to operate it has never been allocated, and a building needs to be established by September 30 or the money will go back to the state. Commissioners heard from shelter supporters during their Tuesday meeting, and Commission Chair Ron Ihrig says it is a big issue, but also difficult given the County’s budget situation. Commissioners did bring up the idea of forming a 501c3 non-profit as a possible route to operational funding.