Crews are pouring the concrete foundation this week for Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue’s new training tower near its station 1 behind Cascade Square.  MCFR Chief Bob Palmer says it’s a four-story structure that will allow for a number of different training options.  The hope is that the concrete foundation will cure by the end of next week, and the building can be erected to be ready for use in October.  The tower is being paid for through City of The Dalles and Wasco County enterprise zone funds tied to the Google Phase II project.

Hood River Public Works crews will be doing chip seal overlays on a number of streets starting this coming Monday and continuing through August 22.  The streets to be worked on include 22nd Street from Belmont to Sherman…18th Street from Belmont to May…20th Street from Cascade to Wasco…11th Street from Pine to May…16th Street on the south side of Belmont…and 5th Street from May to Pine.  During the work period vehicles must not be parked on the street between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.  Vehicles left in the work area will be towed at the owner’s expense.  For more information call Hood River Public Works at 541-387-5201.

Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue crews spent four hours on Monday doing mop-up work on a fire that ignited Sunday south of Columbia Gorge Community College and Sorosis Park.  MCFR Chief Bob Palmer says they wanted to further mop up before temperatures heated up again.  The fire was reported Sunday morning at about 11:30, burning in grass, brush, and scrub oak.  Palmer says the fire burned six-point-two acres, with crews from Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, Dallesport, U.S. Forest Service, and the Oregon Department of Forestry involved in the effort.  Palmer noted a lack of road access complicated the firefighting work.  Cause of the fire is unknown.

This Friday’s Neon Cruise in The Dalles will be a little different than it has been in the past.  Instead of the completely open cruise of the past the Mid-Columbia Car Club, The Dalles Rotary, and The Dalles Main Street have opted for a one-hour controlled cruise during which only registered classic cars will be permitted to cruise the downtown corridor to make the cruise more of a draw for out-of-town visitors.  The “controlled cruise” will close off 2nd and 3rd streets from Liberty to Jefferson from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday evening.  At 8 p.m. the streets will reopen for any and all traffic including those participating in the Friday night cruise.  For more information on the controlled cruise and to learn how to register your car for the downtown cruise, visit midcolumbiacarclub.org.  The public is encouraged to treat the controlled cruise event like a parade and park accordingly.

The size of the Indian Creek Fire in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness on the Mount Hood National Forest remains at 83 acres.  Fire officials say helicopter bucket drops have been highly effective in keeping the fire in check.  Firefighters are using a confine strategy to suppress this fire for safety reasons, attempting to confine the fire at a location where it can be done safely, where the likelihood of success is greater and where key resources can be protected.  Officials say the Indian Creek Fire will be putting up smoke until a fire season ending weather event occurs which is typically in October.  The Pacific Crest Trail remains open but there are restrictions in the fire area so hikers should plan their travel strategically.  The northern portion of Eagle Creek Trail #440 off of Interstate 84 is open for 4.8 miles.  Several other trails are closed.

Health officials around the region have continued air quality advisories into the current week.  The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Air Quality Index readings from monitoring stations in The Dalles and Government Camp are at the “moderate” level, similar to most locations in the central and eastern part of the state.  Public health agencies in the region advise people to avoid outdoor exertion in smoky conditions.  Drink lots of water to keep airways moist and reduce symptoms of respiratory irritation, keep windows rolled up and vents closed while driving, and use a filter in your heating and cooling system that removes very fine particulate matter.  People with concerns about health issues should contact healthcare providers if necessary.  

It doesn’t look like the smoke and hot temperatures are keeping visitors away from the Gorge.  Hood River County Chamber of Commerce Director of Development and Visitors Services Kate Schroder says the numbers they are seeing in their visitors’ center are consistent with past years.  She notes many people made reservations well in advance.  The Hood River Chamber is getting ready for the 75th annual Roy Webster Cross Channel Swim on Labor Day morning, and it is already sold out.

The first day of classes for North Wasco County School District 21 is still about a month away, but those who need to get new students registered should do so now.  D-21 Superintendent Candy Armstrong says offices at all schools are open to do that and answer questions, and the district website also has registration information.  School starts on September 5 for elementary schools and sixth and ninth graders, with the rest beginning the next day.  Armstrong notes classes at Wahtonka Community School, which operates on a year-round schedule, began last month.

There will be intermittent single lane closures of the Hood River/White Salmon Interstate Bridge throughout this week for maintenance welding of the bridge deck.  Closures will occur between 8:00 a.m. and noon.  Each closure will be approximately 15 minutes in duration.  Flaggers will be on the bridge to direct traffic and ensure safety for work crews.  Bridge users should expect delays of 15-25 minutes during these hours.  

Drivers can expect a complete closure of the Historic Columbia River Highway at the Chenoweth Creek Bridge west of The Dalles city limits for the next three weeks.  The Oregon Department of Transportation says the bridge will be closed for a three week period while crews from Wildish Standard Paving replace the failing bridge.  The bridge is expected to re-open on August 25.  This work is being done in conjunction with additional repairs to the Mosier Creek and Dry Canyon Creek bridges on the Historic Columbia River Highway between Mosier and The Dalles.  During the closure, motorized traffic will be detoured via Exit 76, Rowena.  Bicyclists and pedestrians should follow signed detour routes to The Dalles Waterfront Path.