Wasco County election results

on · Leave a Comment

Wasco County voters settled a few contested races amid light turnout in yesterday’s primary election. The greatest number of two-person races came in the North Wasco County School District. Dean McAllister defeated John Fredrick for the zone 2 position, 307 votes to 68.  John Nelson was the winner over David Jones in a tighter race for Zone 4, 199 votes to 146 . But the tightest race of the night was between Eric Nerdin and Aaron Bowman. Nerdin was the winner by 9 votes, 196 to 187. In South Wasco County School District #1, Carol Franklin-Rager defeated Mike Foreaker, 272 to 218. And in Dufur School District,  Robert Wallace had 167 votes to Cindy Johnson’s 127.

In the race that generated the most lawn sighs, Bill Wolfe was the winner over Harry Larsen, 1,375 to 1,125. Mosier Fire District Position #3, Le Roy Herman had 131 votes to Mark Barry’s 84.

In the only money measure on the ballot, White River Health District’s levy was approved with 331 yes votes and 266 no votes.

Click on the PDF button below to see a copy of the final, unofficial results from the Wasco County Clerk .

Read

E-Book PDF: Open in New Window | Download

Korean War veterans honored at Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles

on · Leave a Comment

More than 20 Korean War veterans at the Oregon Veterans Home were honored Friday as a large crowd gathered at the home’s meeting area  for ceremonies involving The South Korean Consul General to the Northwest region, Song Young Wan and state military and government officials. The Consul General presented these veterans’ distinct medals and certificates of appreciation in honor of their sacrifice and service in the war.   This year marks the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the war.

Click on the photo below to see a gallery of photos from the event.

 

 

Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue to Impose Burning Restrictions

on · Leave a Comment

burn banThe Dalles, OR, May 15, 2013: Agencies across the state have been busy responding to reported wildland fires. Two recent fires exceeded 150 acres and according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center one of the fires, located outside of La Pine, threatened 75 structures. Several of these fires are exhibiting typical August fire behavior.

Yesterday, the “15 Mile Fire”, located in the 3600 block of 15 Mile Road, took 9 Engines, 3 Water Tenders and over 35 firefighters from Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue, Klickitat County Fire District #6, Klickitat County Fire District #11, Dufur Fire Department, Oregon Department of Forestry and USFS-Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area to contain the approximately 10 acre fire which threatened several structures. Additional assistance and resources were also provided by Columbia Rural Fire Protection District.

As a result of current conditions;

Effective Immediately:
Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue will not issue any new burn permits. Any individual with a current valid burn permit is encouraged to postpone all burning until next fall.

Effective May 20th, 2013:
Under the Oregon Fire Code, Section 307, Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue will “PROHIBIT” all burning within its jurisdictional boundaries. All issued permits shall become invalid and any burning operations shall be subject to Cost Recovery Fees as outlined under Section 4 listed on back of the permit.

As a result of increased fire danger, residents are encouraged to take necessary precautions in protecting themselves and property from fire. Contact your local fire department for additional information about increasing their homes wildland fire survivability through the use of a “Defensible Space”.

2013 Children’s fair set for City Park Saturday

on · Leave a Comment

Hear our interview with Christina Vergori by clicking the play button at the bottom of the page.

Children's Fair 2012 Library Booth

Children’s Fair 2012 Library Booth

Child Care Partners Columbia Gorge Community College logoChild Care Partners and the Early Childhood Committee of the Wasco County Commission on Children and Families are pleased to announce our annual FREE Children’s Fair 2013. The Fair will be held on Saturday May 18, 2013 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the City Park on Union and 5th in The Dalles.

The focus of the Fair is to promote awareness about the stages of child growth and learning through play. There are over 20 community partners registered to provide learning activities for children and ideas for parents.

Families will be given a “passport” and invited to follow a Learning and Growing path with zones and activities for each stage of a child’s development. At the four and five year old zone, preschools will be on hand to share information about their programs and how they support children in getting ready for Kindergarten. Families who get their “passports” stamped in each zone can enter to win a Family Pool Pass for the summer!

An event stage emceed by Randy Haines will host child and family entertainment. Local favorites Victor Johnson and Dr. Steve McLennon will be singing and drumming.

The Kiwanis Key and Builder clubs are back to provide a light lunch for a family friendly price, or bring a picnic!

Support from our community partners and sponsors have helped the fair grow in the past few years. North Wasco County School District #21 – Safe Schools, Healthy Students grant; Sawyers Just Ask Rental; and Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreationare continuing to be sponsors; plus all of the organizations that host booths.

For more information about Children’s Fair 2013 call Child Care Partners at 541-506-6131.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Audio: Interview with author Kim Stafford, appearing in the Mid-Columbia today

on · Leave a Comment

100 Tricks every boy should know coverPortland author and poet Kim Stafford will make two Kim Stafford mugappearances in the Mid-Columbia today. He’ll be at noon at the Hood River Campus of Columbia Gorge Community College (1730 College Way, Hood River) sponsored by Waucoma Bookstore in Hood River.Then at 5:30, he’ll be at Klindt’s Booksellers in The Dalles.

Stafford will be discussing his book “100 Tricks Every Boy Can Do: How My Brother Disappeared.”

Stafford’s brother, Bret, lived and worked in Hood River in the 1980s, and significant passages in the book are set on Mt. Adams.

Listen to the interview with the button at the bottom of the page

About the Book

Told in one hundred episodes, the story of two brothers separated by suicide and the secret pain that shadows the family of poet William Stafford

How many tricks does it take to grow up and survive? From a beautiful childhood, the older brother disappears into depression, leaving the younger to endure the story. 100 Tricks Every Boy Can Do explores memory to find a brother lost to suicide—the saint who teaches his family about depression, violence, and the ultimate quest for harmonious relationships.

Taking its title from a pamphlet Kim Stafford’s brother, Bret, ordered as a kid, 100 Tricks works its own magic in portraying two boys, close in age and inseparable in many ways, against the backdrop of an
American family in the 1950s. Bret was the good older son, the obedient public servant, Kim the itinerant wanderer. Their father, poet and pacifist William Stafford, occupies a large presence in the brothers’ lives as they find their ways through boyhood shenanigans and forge identities together into adulthood and then apart, when Bret takes his own life at age forty.

This deftly written, compassionate memoir offers a paradox about family tragedy. With suicide, Stafford writes, there is collateral damage in every direction, but there is also a chance to learn vital stories behind the shadows of silence, depression, and violent death, and ultimately to recover the lost best friend. “100 Tricks Every Boy Can Do” takes the reader through what Stafford calls “the chrysalis of
the invisible”—a tunnel of fears, silences, and tragedies—in order to find new life.

About the Author

Kim Stafford has taught since 1979 at Lewis and Clark College, where he is the founding director of the Northwest Writing Institute and codirector of the documentary studies program. He also serves as the
literary executor for the estate of William Stafford. He has worked as an oral historian, letterpress printer, editor, photographer, teacher, and visiting writer in communities and at colleges across the country,
and in Italy, Scotland, and Bhutan. Stafford has published a dozen books of poetry and prose, including The Muses among Us: Eloquent Listening and Other Pleasures of the Writer’s Craft; Early Morning: Remembering My Father, William Stafford; and Having Everything Right: Essays of Place. He has received two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships, the Oregon Governor’s Arts Award, and a Western States Book Award. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and children.

Kim Stafford large

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Chenowith Elementary one of three in state to win Oregon School Wellness Award

on · Leave a Comment

(Salem, Ore) – Deputy Superintendent Rob Saxton today announced that Benson Polytechnic High School (Portland Public Schools), Chenowith Elementary (North Wasco County School District), and Meriwether Lewis Elementary (Portland Public Schools) are the recipients of the 2013 Oregon School Wellness Awards. Now in its sixth year, the Oregon School Wellness Awards recognize outstanding school wellness programs that creatively and effectively promote healthy student behavior.

“You cannot underestimate the impact student health has on student learning,” said Deputy Superintendent Rob Saxton. “By creating a school culture that values good nutrition, physical activity, and overall student and staff health, these schools have also laid the foundation for a vibrant and successful learning environment. I want to commend the students and staff at Benson, Chenowith, and Meriwether Lewis for their commitment to health and wellness and for serving as strong models for the rest of the state.”

The Oregon Department of Education is joined in recognizing these schools by the Nutrition Education Services/Oregon Dairy Council which serves as the Title Sponsor for these awards. Each award recipient receives a $2,500 cash prize, a banner, and a certificate of recognition to be presented at local school celebrations later this spring.

“Healthy students are better students. Research shows that improved nutrition, daily breakfast and increased physical activity can lead to improved academic performance,” said Anne Goetze, Director of Nutrition Education Services/Oregon Dairy Council. “These schools are shining examples of what is possible when our students, staff, and communities truly embrace health and wellness as a tool to support student success.”

School Wellness Policies are required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture from school districts receiving federally-funded school meals. These School Wellness Policies set goals for school-based activities that promote healthy eating, daily physical activity, and other wellness behaviors. Individual schools must implement the district policy but can also go above and beyond the policy to improve student health. These three schools are all excellent examples of schools taking their wellness policies to the next level.

Chenowith Elementary School, North Wasco County School District
Creating a culture of wellness starts young at Chenowith Elementary, a K-5 school located in The Dalles. The schools youngsters learn about self-management and goal setting, stress reduction, anxiety management, and overall mental and physical well-being. They are exposed to nutritious foods and nutrition education throughout the school day, starting with breakfast that is provided at no charge to all students in the classroom. Fruit or vegetable snacks are provided during the school day and in after-school programs through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. These healthy snacks not only provide a nutritious energy boost to students but they also expose students to a range of fruits and vegetables they may not have tried before. Students learn about local produce and where their food
comes from through working with the school garden. Produce from the garden is also incorporated into school meals and snacks. Students stay active with a wide range of physical activity options including in-class energizer breaks, jog-a-thons, Jump Rope 4 Heart, Shape Up Across Oregon, Walk and Bike to School activities, and, of course, recess. The school has worked hard to create a culture of awareness and engagement around health and activity and has participated in the Healthy Kids Learn Better grant and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Families are engaged through after-school cooking classes designed to promote healthy meal preparation at home, and a monthly newsletter on nutrition is distributed to students, staff, and families to share nutrition related tips and news. Staff are actively engaged in promoting this wellness culture and participate in after-school fitness classes that include Zumba and an “Insanity” stations workout. The goal is to make health, physical activity, and good nutrition a fun part of daily life. Students are eager to try new foods and compete in friendly fitness competitions that keep them moving and engaged.
Meriwether Lewis Elementary, Portland Public Schools
The teachers at Portland’s Lewis Elementary are well aware of the connection between health, movement, and student learning – it’s something they discuss and study during staff meetings

Audio: Interview with Vince Welch, author of The Last Voyageur – Amos Burg and the Rivers of the west

on · Leave a Comment

05 12 13 Vince Welch, author of The Last Voyageur

The Last Voyageur
May 21st at 7pm

CCA in partnership with Waucoma Books present a book talk and slideshow with author Vince Welch on his new book, The Last Voyageur: Amos Burg and the Rivers of the West. Amos Burg, one of the first commercial river guides, the last known individual to run all the major western rivers before dams made such voyages difficult if not impossible; first to complete source-to-mouth canoe voyages on the Columbia and Snake Rivers; first to pilot an inflatable raft through Grand Canyon and down the Middle Fork and Main Salmon.

In The Last Voyageur: Amos Burg and the Rivers of the West author Vince Welch, himself a river guide, weaves a passionate and well-researched narrative using extensive material from Burg’s own rich archives. History buffs, paddlers, and adventure readers alike will delight in this remarkable regional history of the larger-than-life Burg, a quintessential man of the American West and one of the last “voyageurs” of North America’s great waterways.

Suggested Donation is $5 at the door.

For nearly five decades Amos Burg traveled in search of adventure and natural beauty. During the 1920s and ’30s he completed lengthy voyages on all the major western rivers – Columbia, Pig, Yukon, Canada’s Mackenzie, the Green and Colorado – source to mouth, often traveling alone. He also managed to make a 4-month, 3,800-mile run on the Yellowstone-Missouri-Mississippi as well as the Middle Fork and Main Salmon, and numerous other small rivers. He broke new ground by being the first individual to take his rubber raft Charlie through Grand Canyon and down the Middle Fork and Main Salmon. The Last Voyageur chronicles Burg’s epic river voyages as well as his journeys along the Inside Passage and through the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the Dorjun and later the Endeavour. We follow not only the arc of his career as an outdoor writer, photographer, filmmaker, and lecturer for National Geographic magazine, but also his expanding sense of the natural environment as a place for spiritual and emotional rejuvenation and as a living repository of American western history. Burg once wrote, “How we treat our rivers tells us something about who we are?” Vince Welch has written for Oregon Coast, Wend, Rivers, Boatman’sQuarterly Review, Utne Reader, and The Hibernacle News. At present he is a senior correspondent and blogger (Rivermouth) for Mountain Gazette. A former professional river guide, and co-author of The Doing of the Thing: The Brief, Brilliant Career of Buzz Holmstrom, Welch continues to run rivers throughout the West with his family and other ancient mariners. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his family and a bunch of chickens.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download