The Hood River Heights Urban Renewal District is nearing a point where enough tax money has been accumulated to begin to undertake projects.  The district was formed in 2011, and City Manager Steve Wheeler says enough tax increment financing has now accumulated to make bonding possible.  A kickoff meeting was held last week to explain how urban renewal works and the project types that are possible, with Wheeler pointing out this district doesn’t have the type of funding urban renewal in the downtown and waterfront areas had, but streetscape projects, a pocket park, façade development, and signage are all possible.  A community input meeting on project priorities is planned for November 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Hood River Fire Hall.

Klickitat County is deep into budget preparations for the upcoming year.  County Commissioners remain targeted for a budget similar to that of the current year.  Commissioner Rex Johnston says one of the biggest challenges is backfilling funding in some areas due to the Washington Legislature not passing a capital budget during its session earlier in the year, including public health and senior services.  Johnston adds those have to funded, and then the county would hope to get the money back when the state eventually passes a capital budget.  Commissioners in recent weeks have been talking with department heads about individual budgets.  Budget work should be finished in the latter part of November and early part of December.

Columbia Gorge Marathon Eric Barten was the men’s winner and Lucy LeGarrec the women’s victor in Sunday’s Columbia Gorge Marathon in Hood River.  Barten turned in a time of two hours, 53 minutes, and 10 seconds, whle LeGarrec finished in three hours, three minutes, and 16 seconds.  Carrie Dimoff won the women’s half-marathon, and Jeffrey Albeghini took first in the men’s half-marathon.   Prep Football Mountain View 29, Hood River Valley 7 The Dalles 53, Benson 6 LaCenter 42, Columbia 0 Stevenson 27, King’s Way Christian 18 Dufur 58, Pilot Rock 22 Sherman 46, Arlington 8 South Wasco 59, Monument/Dayville JV 12 Lyle-Klickitat-Wishram 34, DeSales 9 Cle Elum/Roslyn 26, Goldendale 14   Prep Volleyball Big Sky Tournament Semi-Finals South Wasco def. Sherman 25-17, 25-22, 25-17 Dufur def. Ione 25-18, 25-19, 25-9   Third Place Ione def. Sherman 25-21, 25-22, 25-23:  Ione to state   Championship South Wasco def. Dufur 25-17, 25-15, 25-9:  South Wasco plays second round state playoff match at home this Saturday, Dufur will play a first round match on Wednesday.   Goldendale def. Cle Elum/Roslyn 25-17, 25-23, 25-15   Prep Boys Soccer Trout Lake 6, Horizon Christian 0   Prep Girls Soccer The Dalles 1, Redmond 1 Cle Elum/Roslyn 7, Goldendale 0

Klickitat County Emergency Management is advising that minor smoke from the site of the Underwood Fruit and Warehouse fire in Bingen will be visible for a couple of more days.  The fire that started early Wednesday morning is under control and contained in the building where it started.  Investigators are on site and the Bingen Fire Department is checking on conditions periodically.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  Meanwhile, Underwood Fruit is looking to the future.  CEO Don Gibson says they have already begun planning to rebuild the packed fruit storage for a couple hundred thousand boxes, a state of the art pear packing line, and another small line for varietals that was lost to the fire.  Gibson notes the company recently purchased another five acres immediately to the east side of the Bingen site for expansion.

Cross Country The Dalles and Hood River Valley tied for first at the Wildhorse Invitational in Pendleton.  Josephine Dickinson of HRV won the race with teammate Frances Dickinson in second.  Emma Mullins was the top finisher for The Dalles in seventh.  In the boys’ run Hood River Valley was second to Union of Washington while The Dalles was third.  Josh Haynes finished seventh for HRV and Sam Alvarez of The Dalles was ninth.   Goldendale won the boys race and was second in the girls run at a four-school meet at Naches Valley.  Dillon Rising and Lucas Anderson had a one-two finish for the Timberwolf boys, while Ellie Rising was second and Abby Hedges third for the Goldendale girls.   Volleyball Big Sky Playoffs Sherman def. Condon-Wheeler 24-26, 25-12, 25-12, 23-25, 15-5 Dufur def. Mitchell-Spray 25-3, 25-13, 25-13   Regular Season Castle Rock def. Columbia 3 sets to 2 Seton Catholic def. Stevenson 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 Granger def. Goldendale 25-18, 26-24, 25-17   Girls Soccer Summit 2, Hood River Valley 0 The Dalles 4, Mac-Hi 1 Stevenson 2, Castle Rock 1   Girls Water Polo Hood River Valley 13, Grant 4

The CEO of Underwood Fruit and Warehouse says the damage suffered at the company’s Bingen facility in a fire that started Wednesday is substantial.  Don Gibson says packed fruit storage for a couple hundred thousand boxes, a state of the art pear packing line, and another small line for varietals, adding the cost of replacement would be in the tens of millions of dollars.  Fruit lost in the fire was ready for shipping, with Gibson adding most of the pears and apples at the Bingen site are in outside storage areas, and they are working on plans for packing those.  Gibson said they lost two-thirds of the production capability and about a fourth of the storage on the site.  Gibson points out the fire may burn for days because with the combination of fruit, wood, and other materials.  He emphasized they will rebuild, noting the company recently purchased another five acres immediately to the east side of the Bingen site for expansion.  The company employs about 270 workers at the site.  According to its website, Underwood Fruit and Warehouse packs and ships for 55 area growers.  The company was formed in 1917 by seven local growers.

A fifteen-year-old boy has been arraigned on a juvenile court petition in Hood River County on charges related to the Eagle Creek Fire.  According to a statement released Thursday by the Oregon State Police of behalf of the Hood River County District Attorney’s Office, legal proceeding in the case have commenced in Hood River County Circuit Court.  Allegations include acts of reckless burning, depositing burning materials on forest lands, unlawful possession of fireworks, criminal mischief and recklessly endangering other persons.  The charging petition was filed by the Hood River County Juvenile Department at the direction of Hood River County District Attorney John Sewell.  Although extensive damage caused by the wildfire occurred in both Hood River and Multnomah counties, Oregon’s juvenile code dictates that legal proceedings be commenced in the county where the illegal act originally occurred, which is Hood River County.   According to the statement, the District Attorney’s office, the Oregon State Police and the Hood River County Juvenile Department will have no further comment until the case has been resolved.

A fundraising drive is underway to help Underwood Fruit employees in the wake of Wednesday’s fire at the company’s warehouses in Bingen.  Bingen Mayor Betty Barnes says the City has partnered with Washington Gorge Action Programs on an account to take donations to help the employees with the holidays and winter coming.  Donations can be made at gofundme.com/underwoodfruitfire.  Washington Gorge Action Programs will be administering the fund.

Fire rekindled early this morning at the Underwood Fruit facility on the west end of Bingen, sending flames back into the air.  That did not come as a surprise to fire officials, who had said late Wednesday afternoon that they expected the fire to flare up and burn additional material and release heavy smoke.  The fire is contained to one building but is in the rafters, making it difficult to put out.  The fire was reported at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday.  The company employs about 270 workers at the site.  According to its website, Underwood Fruit and Warehouse packs and ships for 55 area growers.  The company was formed in 1917 by seven local growers.  Eleven Klickitat County fire departments, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe fire train, Hood River Fire Department, Skamania Fire Department, and Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue have been involved in the firefighting effort.

Hood River County is looking at establishing an event permit ordinance.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says they have had two recent situations that have led to looking at the topic.  One involved a bike race organizer that asked for a fee reduction but had not applied for a permit, and when the County said they could consider that after an application was submitted, the promoter didn’t even bother with seeking the permit and held the event, and the County had no recourse because it lacked an ordinance.  A second example was for a run where an application had been provided and a fee reduction was requested, and the Commission decided the structure should be looked at.  Hecksel noted most places that hold events have a permit ordinance in place.  The current fee structure depends on if the event is held on County roads or on County forestlands.