The Hood River County Fair continues on in Odell.  Friday will mark the halfway point of the fair, and it brings with it one of its most important events.  That’s the 4-H/F-F-A Livestock Auction, which Fair Manager Clara Rice says always brings plenty of community support for the youth who have worked with their animals over the past year.  The auction starts at 4:30 p.m.  Friday’s main stage entertainment includes Los Patrones De La Tierra Brava at 7:30 and Raza Obrera at 9:30.

Team Mosier, the group of governmental officials from that community that has been negotiating with Union Pacific Railroad on a settlement in the wake of last June’s oil trail derailment and fire, have accepted and recommended approval of an offer sheet from UP.  The offer sheet from Union Pacific includes money for the fire district, school district, and City, along with details on work UP has paid for to repair the City’s wastewater treatment plant and safety issues the community wants addressed.  UP’s first offer came about two weeks ago, and Team Mosier chair Terry Moore says it was revised in the wake of talks since then, as UP clarified what was and what was not a part of the offer.  The agreement must be approved by the Mosier City Council, Mosier School Board, and Mosier Fire District Board.  Those panels will take the issue up as their agendas allow.

Hood River City Manager Steve Wheeler says after a lengthy pause, work is moving forward again to create a dog park on City and Port property west of the municipal wastewater treatment plant.  Mayor Paul Blackburn says one of the issues for the delay involved safety with the truck and trailer traffic and parking in that area, necessitating a mini-traffic study to determine how much parking is needed to avoid user conflict.  Wheeler says he doesn’t yet have an estimate on when the dog park will be ready for use.  The property has to be cleaned up, and fencing will need to be established to protect nearby bird habitat.

The Dalles City Council voted to approve providing water service for irrigation of a commercial marijuana growing operation outside of the city limits.  Councilors had originally denied the request for an estimated use of 30,000 gallons per month between October and April at an operation on 6140 Mill Creek Road.  But Mayor Steve Lawrence says the Council received some more information, and decided to approve the request, even though there was some concern about water usage.  He added the amount requested is well within the City’s capacity.  Councilor Russ Brown expressed a concern with precedent and what the next request might be, but fellow Councilor Linda Miller noted there are already food processors using much more water.  The vote was 3-1, with Brown voting no.  The grow operation has an irrigation right for water during the spring and summer months.

The Hood River County Fair opens Wednesday in Odell to start its annual four-day run.  Fair Manager Clara Rice says the opening evening entertainment includes Frank Murray as Tom Petty on the park stage at 7:30, along with the Dancing Horses in the Frank Herman Arena at 7 p.m.  There is still time to purchase the daily ride bracelets for a discounted price of $20.  They are available until 5 p.m. Wednesday, and can be purchased at the fair office, Hood River Supply, Mid-Valley Market, McIssac’s Store, Jim’s Market, Juanita’s Market, and Columbia State Bank.

An infrared flight has put the size of the Indian Creek Fire in steep and rugged terrain in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness on the Mt. Hood National Forest at 63 acres.  The fire that started on July 4 began spreading slowly through the understory last week, producing smoke impacting nearby communities and Interstate 84.  Type 1 Helicopter water drops are being used to cool down the fire and keep it from rapidly spreading further.  In addition, a Warm Springs Fire Module made up of 10 people will continue to observe the fire and conduct reconnaissance for areas where fireline can safely and effectively be constructed.  The cause of the fire has not been determined.  The Forest Service trail and area closure for the area surrounding the fire remains in effect, including Eagle Creek Trail #440, from the boundary with Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness (to the north) to its terminus at the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail.  This means that Punch Bowl Falls and High Bridge are still open; however, Tunnel Falls is closed.  The closure includes adjacent trails Eagle Benson #434, Indian Springs Trail #435, Eagle Tanner Trail #433 and Tanner Butte Trail, south of Tanner Butte.  Signs are posted informing visitors that these trails are closed.  The nearby Pacific Crest Trail remains open.

The City of Hood River continues to move toward replacement of the Children’s Park play structure.  A public meeting last week updated where the City is in the process and what will happen next.   City Manager Steve Wheeler says the next step is to send out requests for proposals to companies who build play structures, with a likely outcome to allow quite a bit of input from the community into the process of what is built.  The City has budgeted $150,000 for the project, and they have asked the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District for systems development charges funds to help with the effort.  In addition, fundraising will be taking place to accumulate more dollars for the replacement.  Wheeler said the goal remains to have a new structure constructed in time for the summer of 2018.

The impasse that led to the Washington Legislature’s failure to pass a capital budget has significant impacts on Klickitat County.  County Commissioner Rex Johnston points out that the capital budget is where grant funds for a number of county departments, including public health and senior services, come from.  He notes many of those services must be provided for, whether the grants are there or not, adding the County will pull money out of its coffers and hope once a capital budget is passed the County will get its money back.  The capital budget has become a leverage point as Senate Republicans have sought to have the Legislature takes steps to lessen the impact of the Hirst decision from the state Supreme Court that put so-called permit-exempt wells to be used for rural development in jeopardy.

Oregon 8-10 Year-Old Little League Baseball Tournament At Erv Lind Field in Portland Saturday Hollywood/Rose City 12, The Dalles 8   Sunday The Dalles 13, Ashland 0   Today The Dalles vs. Del Norte, 6:30 p.m.

Wasco County Commissioners have prepared a letter to send to the Mid-Columbia Council of Governments board indicating they would support a process in which new homes are found for programs under the MCCOG umbrella.  Commissioner Scott Hege says the letter was developed to support their representative on the MCCOG board, fellow commissioner Steve Kramer.  Hege adds the important thing is to get the services provided at the highest and best level to citizens, regardless of whether they run through MCCOG or elsewhere.  Five counties and various cities are involved in MCCOG, and the group’s board is to meet in August to continue discussion on whether to continue to operate the agency as currently structured or move programs to other agencies.