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About Columbia Gorge news. (The Dalles, OR) 2020-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 2020)
14 Wednesday,September2,2020 Columbia Gorge News HoodRiverNews.com • TheDallesChronicle.com • WhiteSalmonEnterprise.com 100-plus trees to be felled at Sorosis HR police investigate attempted murder ■ By Neita Cecil Columbia Gorge News Work has begun on an aggressive new round of tree removal at Sorosis Park, focusing on 100-plus trees at the front of the park along Scenic Drive, a park official said. It is the latest effort to combat a pine bark beetle infestation that has been kill- ing the park’s pine trees for a number of years now. The park has hundreds of trees. Scott Baker, executive director of Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation District, said, “It will seem to folks as a drastic measure, but smaller cuttings have not been successful.” He said, “This time, we’re going big. They’re dead and dying and several fell down in this last windstorm, so it’s a hazard and it needs to be addressed. If we hope to save any pines, we need to be more aggressive than we’ve been.” In the last removal, in February 2019, the parks district removed over 55 trees, but it is clear that more aggressive efforts need to be taken, Baker said. “Some work has been done every year and it’s just heartbreaking to cut year after year,” he said. “You think you’re being aggressive when you cut 55 trees out but the beetles have gone to another area and it just devastates you.” He said, “I know people care about Sorosis as deeply as we do. But most folks who care are very pragmatic, you have to make the tough decision.” The parks district has worked with the Oregon Department of Forestry to identify diseased trees and develop a management plan. “We are so inundated with the pine bark beetle and the black scale that our only op- tion now is to aggressively cut tees that may look alive now, but are infested,” Baker said. Some trees are “the stand- ing dead,” he said. “Some are completely browned out but on others only the tops are dead, and that’s a sure thing The Hood River Police Department is currently investigating an attempted murder that occurred around 2 p.m. on Aug. 21 at E. Port Marina Drive. A confronta- tion between the assailant, who told police his name was Jake Meszaros, and the victim, who has asked to remain anonymous, led to the assailant stabbing the Walkers enjoying Sunday's sunshine walk among dead pines bordering E. Scenic Drive in Sorisis Park in The Dalles. Removal of the trees was slated to begin Monday. Mark B. Gibson photo done to ensure the ground is as hard as possible, to protect the irrigation system below ground. Provided the irrigation system is not damaged during the work, the browned grass will green up again once irrigation resumes, Baker said. After over 55 trees were taken out in early 2019, “It’s startling how many oaks are there,” Baker said of that area of the park. “It’s really quite beautiful. Our plan is to cut these infested trees out like a cancer in a hope to protect the strongest ones to get ahead of it. Then we will see what irrigation remains and repair that and replant. “It’s a couple year process, it might look worse before it looks better, but ultimately this is the best thing to do for the park long term.” The parks district has cut about 110 trees since Baker arrived in 2016, and a few were cut before that, he said. Timberman will sell the lumber to SDS Lumber Company in Bingen, Baker said, and how much work gets done will depend on how much lumber is purchased. The sale of the trees will partially offset the cost of this project but will not com- pletely cover it, Baker said. Meanwhile, 26 percent of the they’ve been infested with the pink bark beetle.” Portions of the park, in- cluding the walking trail, will be closed during the work, which is set to finish by the end of September. The work will be done most days between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m., and Baker en- couraged regular park users to shift their park visit to evening hours, or to walk on the Riverfront Trail instead. Timberman Inc. of Parkdale, the same company that felled infested pine trees at St. Mary’s Academy in The Dalles, will do the work, and is doing it for the value of the lumber harvested, Baker said. No cash will change hands. The park district will be responsible for cleanup and chipping limbs and will also be in charge of stump removal. The parks district has felled about six trees over the past few months that were in danger of falling on Tree Top Play Park. While portions of the walk- ing trail around the park will be closed during the work, Baker said Tree Top Play Park will largely remain open. “There may be a day or two that we will have to close it.” The parks district has purposely not irrigated the area where the work will be victim with a knife, according to HRPD Sergeant Don Cheli. Police believe that Meszaros may have given a fake name upon his arrest, said Cheli, and HRPD is working to establish his identity. Meszaros is currently being lodged at the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility (NORCOR) on a $3 million bail. proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes, more than $256,956 parks district’s budget comes Yacht, assets, in including in U.S. currency; a 2000 from hotel taxes, “which Sealine F44 Yacht; eight are just in the tank, so we’re Florida seized vehicles; two all-terrain having huge budget losses at Continued from page 1 vehicles; four trailers; heavy a time when our parks are be- construction equipment; and ing used more than ever.” at Griffiths’ Hood River 14 firearms. The district has had to residence, seizing 4,376 This case was investigated remove trashcans because marijuana plants, $7,700 in by the U.S. Drug Enforcement they were getting filled with cash, firearms, ammunition Administration, IRS Criminal household trash, he said. and several vehicles. Griffiths Investigation, Homeland Remaining trash cans that was not present during Security Investigations, and previously were emptied the search, having just left the FBI. It was prosecuted by once a week are being emp- for Florida. Investigators the U.S. Attorney’s Office for tied three times a week, and later seized a yacht Griffiths the District of Oregon. they’re still overflowing. owned in Florida valued at This case was brought Even with the sad news approximately $225,000. as part of the Justice of cutting trees, Baker said On Aug. 21, 2018, a fed- Department’s Organized there’s good news coming out Crime and Drug Enforcement of the parks district also. The eral grand jury in Portland returned a three-count Task Force (OCDETF) refurbishment of the Vogt Fountain in the Rose Garden indictment charging Griffiths program, the centerpiece of is well underway, and irriga- with conspiring to manufac- the department’s strategy for ture, possess with the intent reducing the availability of tion repairs have happened to distribute, and distribute drugs in the U.S, according to in other parts of the park. a press release. New exercise equipment has marijuana and maintaining drug-involved premises; OCDETF was established been installed in the park. conspiring to commit money in 1982 to mount a com- The district also raised prehensive attack on drug $278,000 to repair and reseal laundering; and illegally possessing a firearm as a trafficking by disrupting and eight miles of the Riverfront Trail. “That project’s been go- convicted felon. On April 22, dismantling major drug traf- ficking and money launder- ing great. The Riverfront Trail 2019, Griffiths pled guilty to the first two counts. ing organizations. is a real hidden gem for this During sentencing, U.S. community,” Baker said. District Court Judge Robert The eight-mile stretch is from the Discovery Center to E. Jones ordered Griffiths to forfeit any criminally-derived the marina. “That trail’s been there 30 years and this is a major Columbia Gorge News resurfacing and repair effort to protect it for another 20 or PUBLICATIONDEADLINE 30 years,” he said. Advertising,legalsandnewsisthe FELONY Wednesdaypriortopublication BUY ANY 5 participating items and receive a code to enter for a * *Open to legal U.S. residents, residing in Oregon or SW Washington, 18 years and older (must be 21+ to purchase alcohol). Promotion ends and Entry Codes must be entered by 11:59 PM PT on 11/17/20. 5 participating items must be purchased in a single transaction. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter or win. 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