Tuesday, March 26
Golfers win The Dalles Invitational
THE DALLES — Golf coaches have a difficult time reading their players’ swings early in the season since most shots are either wind-aided, wind-impeded or hooked into the parking lot.
Domestic violence: A fight against a growing crime
Rep. Patti Smith, R-Corbett, is urging her peers to adopt a "zero tolerance" attitude toward domestic violence.
Gorge commission continues review
The Columbia Gorge Commission continues its series of Gorge management plan review meetings, with a scenic resource review scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday at Skamania County Courthouse Annex.
Young stars shine as HRV softball wins a pair
Hinman pitches beautifully, Connors knocks in winning run in 10-inning thriller
Hinman pitches beautifully, Connors knocks in winning run in 10-inning thriller
City Council agrees to tree trimming
The Hood River City Council went out on a limb on March 25 to save the historical Roe-Parker house from demolition.
Red Cross volunteers head south
The Hood River Chapter of the American Red Cross has sent five experienced disaster volunteers to help with the relief efforts as a result of last week's storms in the southeastern United States.
Grandfather admits to attempted sexual abuse
A grandfather admitted to inappropriate sexual contact with his non-biological granddaughter on March 25.
Spring starts sour for HRV sluggers
HOOD RIVER — With a spring break trip to the Arizona desert on the horizon, the HRV baseball team tried to get out of its early-season slump against Gladstone Friday at Traner Field.
Wednesday, March 20
Sprawl tidbits
According to Sprawl-Busters' annual count, Wal-Mart now has a record 396 empty stores. That means 11 percent of the company's U.S. stores are shuttered. A substantial number of these blighted boxes -- 40 percent -- have been empty for more than three years.
Cascade Locks teacher throws hat in state race
A Cascade Locks school teacher has thrown his hat in the race for the state District 52 office currently held by Rep. Patti Smith, R-Corbett.
Dog attacks boy, evades rounding up
The mother of an 11-year-old boy was forced to watch in horror while he was pulled off his scooter by a "vicious" dog on Sunday afternoon.
Plan for trees
I just want to say how disappointed and sad I am to drive by the east end of May Street School after the devastation that occured there last fall. I live one block away and walk and drive by there almost every day. I enjoyed the huge trees lining the street and every summer we would go out and enjoy the blackberries from the gigantic blackberry bush on the property that is now a parking lot. There hasn't been one green thing planted there since the devastation that I can see. Well, Joni Mitchell was right when she talked about paving paradise to put up a parking lot. Are we happy now that the street has all the properly measured sidewalks and the correct width to the street? I just don't get it. Please take into consideration the life of our trees and plants along with our need for orderly concrete creations. This could have been done in a much different way, leaving shade and beauty where it was for all of us to enjoy. It just makes me sick to walk by there now. I hope all the money wasn't spent leaving none for the proposed new landscaping. I challenge the city and others planning developments to try and include existing trees and plants in their new plans.
Young archers on target at state
BEND — William Tell would be proud.
Dances with dreams
Warm Springs tribal member follows the dreams of her mother and great-grandmother in honoring her heritage.
Warm Springs tribal member follows the dreams of her mother and great-grandmother in honoring her heritage.
Benefit will start `Bravissimo'
Local residents will want to mark their calendars for the Saturday, April 13, Evening of Music and Dancin' to benefit "Bravissimo," the First Annual Columbia Gorge Music and Arts Camp, which will premiere June 17-21. This year, the music and motivation camp will be open to local students between 5th and 9th grade.
'Alaska' sails into Full Sail
The Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub continues to provide a venue for interesting cultural events with a presentation on the rich wilderness of Alaska hosted by Alaskan sport-fishing guides and outfitters, Pete Mooney and Sue Taylor, from Port Alexander, Alaska.
City seeks to save historical house, trees
The city of Hood River is scouting the best path to save a historical house -- without putting nature in harm's way.
City gears up for third look at equipment levy
Hood River officials are hoping the adage "three times is the charm" also proves true for ballot measures.
HRV baseball struggles in three losses
HOOD RIVER — Pitching and defense win championships, but in order to have success, both elements must show up to every game.
INS is incapable
It is true that our exclusive national priority is security, both at home and anywhere in the world that terrorist networks exist. While our armed forces and those that work closely with them are achieving success abroad, that success is marred by the dismal performance of some other parts of our Federal Government -- most notably the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Budget cuts cited as Elliott out as high school AD
After July 1, Glenn Elliott will no longer be athletic director at Hood River Valley High School, a position he has held since 1983.
Track clinic attracts top national names
HOOD RIVER — Hoping build early-season momentum and excitement, the HRV track program hosted the 21st annual “Learn by Doing” Track Clinic last Saturday.
Dam removal supporters dominate FERC hearing
By JESSE BURKHARDT
Local gymnast wins third at state
It’s 5:30 p.m. Monday — a half-hour before even his coach has arrived at the gym — and 15-year-old Hans Decker has already broken a sweat.
Futuristic focus in museum exhibit
`Yesterday's Tomorrows' makes Oregon debut in HR on Saturday
`Yesterday's Tomorrows' makes Oregon debut in HR on Saturday
Arsonist admits to torching his girlfriend's car
A confessed arsonist will spend more than two years in prison for torching the car of his ex-girlfriend shortly after midnight on Feb. 11.
ODOT scores federal funds for repairs to Highway 35
A new chapter is being added to Highway 35's long and troubled history -- and both state and federal officials hope it has a happy ending.
Endangered sense
I am writing to adamantly disagree with Daniel Dancer's letter to the editor of March 13. I can't imagine where he came up with the theory that "the Mid Columbia community has voiced its overwhelming support for the removal of the antiquated Condid Dam." I have certainly not heard that -- as a matter of fact, I can't imagine why anyone would encourage removal of a hydro dam when we know the power lost will probably be replaced with something much less environmentally acceptable -- i.e. anyone notice our air quality?
Cascade Locks casino would spur needed tourism development
By ROGER FREEBORN
Softball bats sluggish in pair of setbacks
HOOD RIVER — All has been quiet on the homefront thus far for the HRV softball team.
Obituaries 3/20
CARL W. HOLMES
Poodles and wolves
In her "endangered sense" letter to the editor, Mary Wilson questioned where I got the notion that an overwhelming majority of mid Columbia residents supported removal of Condit dam. Well Mary, from all the hearings that have been held in our region regarding this issue over the years, that's where. Including the last, and perhaps most telling hearing held the other night in Hood River where local residents testified 3 to 1 in favor of dam removal. That ratio has been consistent from the beginning. At any rate, it is not really a popularity contest. The decision has been weighed by many parties from fisheries biologists and engineers to PacifiCorp who owns the dam. A consensus has been reached and an agreement signed: the antiquated dam should be removed.
Lacrosse takes down Oregon City
OREGON CITY — After a sloppy weekend of weather, the HRV lacrosse team took on Oregon City Monday in what many spectators would describe as Mud Bowl 2002.
When patriotic voices were tinged with disrespect
By JANET AARDEMA
'Behind the scenes'?
First, I must state that I was amazed to read that the Hood River County School District had decided to cut the position of Activities Director. I state this because, as far as I know, there was absolutely no public discussion of this. I fully believe that there was much "behind the scenes" action. I hope that this decision was not made based on input of a few individuals without giving opportunity for rebuttal.
Entertainment briefs - March 20
The Stew, Rant, Hanuman coming
Replace brick pile
Recently you published an opinion regarding an item titled "an issue we can all agree on." Well, maybe some, but not all.
`Travel Oregon' gives Hood River top billing
The Oregon Tourism Commission (OTC) unveiled the first issue of its new biannual magazine "Travel Oregon" this month, and Hood River County gets good billing.
Monday, March 18
Wednesday, March 13
Friends of The Next Door Fund
"Mary Ellen Scofield got a close-up look at the ongoing struggles nonprofit organizations face to stay afloat when she worked as a grant writer for The Next Door, Inc., a Hood River-based organization that operates a variety of social services programs.
Ruth Jackson Cody Fund
""If you watch your pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves," Ruth Jackson Cody used to tell her students at Park Street School, where the Children's Park now sits. She passed on a lot of other sound advice to her fourth graders at the school where she taught in the late 1950s and '60s, but the thing she did that perhaps had the most impact was never spoken of at all -- at least not to them.
Community foundation
"The storm of recent budget shortfalls and tightening pursestrings that has buffeted Mid-Columbia social service agencies and other nonprofits for months often seems just a continuation of a cloudy financial picture in a region of perenially high unemployment and never-ending funding struggles.
Cascade Locks mayor declares first ball a success
CASCADE LOCKS -- Mayor Roger Freeborn is well pleased with the success of the first Mayor's Ball March 2 at Port Marina Park.
Mitch Hecomovich Fund
"When Mitch Hecomovich started coaching football at Columbia Union High School in White Salmon in 1946, there weren't even goal posts on the field.
Remove Condit Dam
Restore salmon runs to White Salmon River
Restore salmon runs to White Salmon River
Senior Peers outreach program brings help, hope
Volunteers put 'one person in your corner'
Volunteers put 'one person in your corner'
Singers prepare for Ireland trip
With St. Patrick's Day approaching, a musical trip to Ireland is on the minds of musicians at Hood River Valley High School.
Call to donate
Dear American Red Cross Blood Donors:
CL casino hope flickers as tribe vote nears
Strong ties are developing between two communities struggling through financial hard times -- and both share the common belief that one man is stopping them from enjoying a brighter future.
Citizen aids police in capturing suspect
A Hood River citizen helped police nab a suspect during a chase down West Cascade Avenue on the morning of March 9.
Skill and will combine for state title
MT. HOOD MEADOWS — Every skier knows that winning a race has everything to do with the start.
Rumor mongering
I appreciate good news reporting because I depend on it. So why am I nitpicking Hood River News' Tamiyasu murder article of March 6? Well, explain to me why Don Dixon's picture is on the front page and why he is a "person of interest."
HR woman plans historic Everest climb
Hood River Middle School teacher Lisa Rust made an unusual, last-minute request to the school board for a two-month leave of absence last week.
Obituaries 3/13
FREIDA "FRITZ" PAASCH BARNES
Cougar in Odell, C. Locks spark worries
Recent cougar sightings near Odell and Cascade Locks have sparked fears of an attack against humans, but Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) officials said those concerns are largely unfounded.
Please don't litter
I am ashamed, embarrassed, and disgusted by a small minority of the men and boys who fish for steelhead on the Hood River.
Grapes will hop for St. Urho's
Horned helmets, giant grasshoppers, pitchforks, Black and Decker drills, purple underwear and grapes will be worn, carried, presented, activated and thrown (not necessarily in that order) on March 16 when the annual St. Urho's Day celebration returns to Hood River.
Arts attune students to creative lives
By MARK STEIGHNER
Put dam down
For almost a decade now, the mid-Columbia community has voiced its overwhelming support for the restoration of the White Salmon River and the removal of antiquated Condit Dam whose operating license has expired. The staff of the Federal Energy Commission (FERC) concurred with the dam removal vision in their recently released Draft Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement which says:
Printing the `spin'
Your paper's coverage of the casino issue has been abysmal. The latest installment makes me wonder if any local news stories are reliable. I understand that we are all tired of the issue and wish it would go away. But that is no excuse for the paper to become the passive mouthpiece for a high priced spin doctor, hired from the tribes' supposedly empty coffers. He's been spinning for over a year now. Is it too much to ask that the Hood River News balance Mr. Leo's glib assertions with some real facts?
Dignitaries show strong support for CL community
The sternwheeler "Columbia Gorge" was packed with dignitaries on March 8 who arrived in Cascade Locks to show their support for the city's battle against drug and alcohol abuse.
Summit Varsity II no second fiddle at state
MT. HOOD MEADOWS — While the Summit Varsity I teams were busy cleaning out the state trophy case at last weekend’s OISA State Snowboard Championships, the boys Varsity II team was carving out its own place in the state snowboarding annals.
Hearings examine Gorge Commission role
The first of three Oregon hearings centered on the role of the Columbia River Gorge Commission will take place from 2-8 p.m. on Friday at The Discovery Center in The Dalles.
Wednesday, March 6
More skate news
Meadows donates to skate park
Entertainment briefs 3/6
Bluegrass fans – round up your cowboy hat and dancin' shoes – Jackstraw is coming to town. The Portland band will be here Saturday for a 9:30 p.m. show at the River City Saloon.
Teen volunteers win Soroptimist awards
Soroptimist International of Hood River awarded its first annual Violet Richardson Award for Community Service recently at a luncheon at the Hood River Adult Center.
A million's uses
If the Hood River County Commissioners were acting in the best interests of their electorate, we (the electorate) would have been able to tell by now. They would certainly not pay Mount Hood Meadows $1.1 million of our tax money, as well as giving it our watershed and the north slope of Mt. Hood in exchange for unusable land. I bet every person in Hood River County could list a few things our people could do with our $1.1 million rather than giving it and the watershed to Portlander Franklin Drake who owns MHM. Heck, we could even have a crosswalk light at Rosauers. Or use it to fight off the casino. Or fix a few potholes. Or create some jobs in town. Or bring in some more tourists. Or beef up our hospital. Or build a water filtration plant to return the drinking water in the Crystal Springs District to potable standards if MHM succeeds in building Beaverton-On-The-Mountain.
More briefs
HRV teams earn academic awards
Paul named finalist for prep athlete of the year
BEAVERTON — Hood River Valley High School cross-country and track star Christy Paul was named a finalist for the Johnny Carpenter Prep Athlete of the Year award, which was presented Sunday as part of the Oregon Sports Awards ceremony.
Fair planning in full swing; chairmen needed
The Hood River County Fair Board is looking for people willing to volunteer as chairmen and co-chairmen at the annual county fair.
Hypnotherapy and health
`The client has more awareness than when fully awake'
`The client has more awareness than when fully awake'
Wastewater plant contractor sues City of Hood River
The city of Hood River is being sued by the contactor hired to renovate its wastewater treatment plant.
Sports briefs
Ames steps down as HRV hoops coach
All four won
Connors, Meierbachtol, Page take all four individual titles as Summit wins fourth straight state title
Connors, Meierbachtol, Page take all four individual titles as Summit wins fourth straight state title
Obituaries 3/6
DOLORES MAE HOFFMAN
Reiki: Wisdom meets energy
If you could hear a Reiki treatment, it might sound like this: whoosh, faroooom, whisssh.
Montgomery plans run for Senate
A Cascade Locks resident has challenged Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches, for the District 26 seat in the Nov. 5 General Election.
20-20 Vision book project gets underway
The Hood River County Library Foundation starts a fundraising campaign today called "20-20 Vision," for readers of all ages.
Poverty Blues
It's time to help those in the cold fold of need
It's time to help those in the cold fold of need
County challenged over Meadows timber trade
A land-use watchdog group has demanded a public hearing over an "illegal" timber exchange between Hood River County and Mt. Hood Meadows, Ltd., of Oregon.
A new look at Bullshot Crummond
Humorous HRV play continues through the next two weekends
Humorous HRV play continues through the next two weekends
Wintergrass festival: So much to pick from
If you've noticed the local bluegrass contingent grinning from ear to ear the past week, it's no wonder.
`Shards and circles'; author Dancer searches for roots with nature
Daniel Dancer has been on a journey for more than a decade. It's taken him from the prairies of Kansas to the Arctic Circle and home, finally, to Rowena Wilds east of Mosier.
Poverty hits more local folk
The face of poverty in the Gorge is changing due to Oregon's high unemployment rate and deep recession.
Priorities in CL
I can't help but wonder how much good $400,000 could do for the Cascade Locks if spent on economic development or community services rather than law enforcement ("In force, C. Locks says `no'," Feb. 20). I can think of dozens of better uses: A playground, a skate park, a library, a rec center, tourist attractions; scholarships or courses in business, computers, languages, art, music, cooking, sewing, carpentry, or welding. Perhaps the money could be used to pay parents who must work two or three menial jobs just to keep food on the table so they could stay at home for an hour a week with their kids. Or if the federal government insists on spending our tax money on their programs, why not make them of the WPA variety that improve communities in tangible ways, like building bridges or theatres? It looks to me like the only such contributions Cascade Locks will see will be made by a volunteer bringing in broadband communications, and an artist paid a paltry $7,000 to paint a mural.
For clean energy
The Senate is now debating energy policy, and the stakes are huge.
Tamiyasu murder draws national attention
Sheriff says he'll take polygraph test
Sheriff says he'll take polygraph test
Special Olympics athletes ski at state
MT. BACHELOR — Twelve Gorge-area Special Olympics athletes participated in the state ski and snowboard competition last weekend at Mt. Bachelor. And what a time they had.
So much, so little
While going through my bills, I noticed the first robin of spring. Not the feathered kind, but the ongoing, never ending increases from the nothing for something people, the local cable tv company. You sometimes wonder how many of the channels are even ever watched. And the same old tired excuses for the fee increase which they have been using since the beginning of time. Whoever thinks them up has all the imagination of a pet rock. To paraphrase an elder statesman, when it comes to cable TV "never have so few taken so much from so many."
Dell-Mart owner rings up downtown award
Wildflower Cafe<of Mosier also wins state honor
Wildflower Cafe
Looking back, book on Mid-East peace failed to look ahead
A lifetime ago, I spent my junior year of college at Tel Aviv University in Israel. The year 1978-79 was a unique and fascinating time to be in Israel, in two critical ways.
Second Search
Rescuers find two hikers in Starvation Creek
Rescuers find two hikers in Starvation Creek
Skatepark fundraiser underway
Now that the skatepark renovation project is underway, the local skatepark committee is looking for ways to ensure it gets completed.