A man was taken into custody in The Dalles after a search of his residence yielded a high quantity of ammunition and narcotics. 50-year-old Anthony Hithe was taken into custody and lodged at NORCOR on numerous charges. The Mid-Columbia Interagency Narcotics Task Force and the Northern Oregon Regional Tactical Team recovered multiple guns, ammunition, gun parts, and body armor that Hithe was not legally permitted to possess. They also found commercial quantities of what is presumed to be marijuana and methamphetamine that has been sent to the Oregon State Police Crime Lab for scientific analysis and identification. Charges filed by law enforcement include possession of a substantial quantity of marijuana and methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm and body armor, possession of armor piercing ammunition, illegal transfer of a firearm, and endangering the welfare of a minor.
White Salmon Transportation Benefit District Fee Now On Registrations
White Salmon residents will now see a $15 annual vehicle licensing fee applied to vehicle registrations to support a transportation benefit district the City Council adopted in 2023. The City says due to an administrative error at the Washington State Department of Licensing, the fee was not implemented when it was first approved, and did not become aware that it was not appearing on vehicle registrations until this summer. The City says the department acknowledged that the error was due to an internal configuration oversight on their part, confirmed that the City had properly filed all required paperwork and notifications in 2023, and the issue has now been corrected. Beginning with renewals that expire September 1, 2025 or later, there will be an added $15 per qualifying vehicle at the time of registration renewal. The transportation benefit district is intended to provide a modest, reliable revenue source for street preservation, safety projects, sidewalks, and for local match on transportation grants, supplementing outside funding.
September 5-6 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Football
Hood River Valley 35, Reynolds 20
The Dalles 21, Molalla 7
Hoquiam 54, Columbia 14
Hudson’s Bay 40, Stevenson 24
Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 58, Prospect 6
Harper Charter 73, South Wasco 0
Girls Soccer
Western Christian 5, Trout Lake-Horizon Christian 1
Cross Country
Trout Lake’s Melody Stock was fourth, Columbia’s Lilah Zimmerman 10th, and Daisy Jones of Stevenson 11th at the Steve Maas Run-A-Ree at Hudson’s Bay
Saturday Schedule
Football
Napavine 32, Goldendale 8
Sherman 25, Jordan Valley 20
Volleyball
Hood River Valley at St. Helens Tournament
The Dalles def. Cascade Christian 25-16, 20-25, 15-11
Valley Catholic def. The Dalles 25-7, 25-22
Echo def. Lyle-Wishram 25-19, 25-24
Mannahouse Christian def. Lyle-Wishram 25-22, 25-19
Cove def. Dufur 16-25, 25-15, 15-2
South Wasco def. Griswold 25-7, 25-10
South Wasco def. Pilot Rock 25-17, 25-16
Jordan Valley def. Sherman 23-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-22
Cross Country
Hood River Valley’s Syl Perrin was second in girls’ varsity 5A/6A race at The Ultimook Run in Tillamook. Victor Coffman finished 14th for HRV in the boys’ run.
Abigail Pope was sixth and Laura Black eighth led The Dalles to a second place finish in the girls’ race at the Gresham Cross Country Festival. The Riverhawks were also second in the boys’ run, with Tyson Long in sixth and Zeb Stelzer in eighth.
Fire In Southeast Wasco County Up To 3,500 Acres
A fire reported Thursday night in southeastern Wasco County near the Wheeler County line has grown to 3,500 acres. The Black Rock Fire is west of the John Day River, north of Clarno, and east of the China Hat Mountains. The Central Oregon Fire Information Center says the fire is burning in timber and brush, but structures are threatened. Multiple engines and dozers are on scene, with air resources scheduled to be brought in Friday. The Central Oregon Team 1Type 3 management team has been ordered. Central Oregon Fire says natural causes sparked the fire.
Wasco County Seeks Modernization Of NSA Disaster Recovery Rules
The Wasco County Community Development Department says it is working with Columbia River Gorge Commission staff to modernize disaster recovery in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The collaboration aims to address the recovery needs following the Rowena and Burdoin fires this year and the Broughton and Tunnel fires of past years. This Tuesday, Wasco County and Columbia River Gorge Commission staff will present a request to the Columbia River Gorge Commission to amend the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Management Plan. The proposed plan amendment seeks to streamline procedures, offer greater flexibility, and create opportunities for temporary uses to support disaster recovery efforts. If the Gorge Commission approves the request, staff will prepare revised Management Plan language which will then be shared with the public for a 30-day comment period. The meeting will begin at 8:30 Tuesday morning via Zoom, with agendas and meeting links available at gorgecommission.org.
Pool Workshops Set For Sunday
The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District on Sunday will host a pair of “Pool Concept Workshops” to discuss the options for renovating or replacing the aging Hood River Aquatic Center. A presentation will be given on three potential pool concept designs. Attendees will then get a chance to give feedback and ask questions, and then rank potential features as a group. The first session will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at the Parkdale Grange, followed by a second session from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hood River Valley High School Library. Information on the pool options is available at hoodriverparksandrec.org.
Fly-In This Weekend
The Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum will host its annual Hood River Fly-In this weekend at the museum and the adjacent Ken Jernstedt Airfield. Around 300 airplanes will be coming from all over the country to take part. WAAAM’s restoration shop will be open for attendees to see how they work on antique planes to bring them back to life. There will also be authors, seminars for pilots, and lots of food. In addition, there will be opportunities to ride in some of the planes. Admission is $20 at the gate. The fly-in will open at 8 a.m. both days.
Huck Fest This Weekend In Bingen
The 2025 Huckleberry Festival gets underway this evening in Bingen’s Daubenspeck Park. Friday evening features the return of hometown favorite Les Richardson, as he brings some of his musical friends from Nashville to perform starting at 8 p.m. Saturday morning the annual Huckleberry Festival parade will go through Bingen to the park at 11 a.m. Festival committee chair Denise Stewart says this year’s grand marshals are Larry and Diane Murphy. There will be music, kids’ games, and the famous Huckleberry Festival bratwurst and huckleberry pies available at the festival. Details are available at huckleberry-fest.com.
Woodlands Succession Education Program Planned This Fall
An educational program to assist farm and forest landowners with succession planning will be offered this fall by Oregon State University Extension. OSU Extension Forester for Hood River, Clackamas, and Marion counties Glenn Ahrens says the “Ties to the Land” program is geared toward property owners who care deeply about the land and what will happen to it in the future. Ahrens notes about half of small woodland owners in Oregon are age 65 or older, so millions of acres will change hands over the next 20 years. The “Ties To The Land” program will be held in two sessions in November and December at the Hopkins Demonstration Forest in Oregon City. To sign up, contact the Hood River County OSU Extension Office.
Motorcyclist Dies In Highway 142 Crash
A motorcyclist was killed in a single-vehicle accident on Highway 142 in Klickitat County on Monday. The Washington State Patrol says the motorcycle driven by 25-year-old Austin Whittington of Portland was eastbound on Highway 142 at milepost 22 at about 1 p.m. on Monday afternoon. A WSP report says the motorcycle failed to negotiate a curve and continued straight off the roadway over a steep embankment. The motorcycle struck multiple trees before coming to rest 30 feet down the embankment. Whittington was declared deceased at the scene. The WSP cited excessive speed as a cause of the crash.