Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
B5
Sandbar silt plumes
Dewey Thomas celebrates 106th birthday Nov. 4.
A rare dust event obscures the
Washington side of the Columbia River
Oct. 19 in these images taken from
Hood River Marina beach at about 1:30
p.m. The plume covers part of Hood
River bridge, and walkers on Marina
Beach are framed against the plume. A
parfait of dust, green river water, and
beach strata adds drama to the event,
which lasted for several hours. High
winds blowing straight east picked up
silt from the Hood River Sandbar and
created a wall of smoke-like sand that
stretched all the way to Hood River
bridge. The cloud was thick enough on
the crossing that cars were observed
turning on their headlights. Port offi-
cials said over the years, winds have
occasionally created dust clouds from
the Sandbar and other surfaces, but
not in the size, density and duration
of Monday’s silt cloud “storm.” The
effect was periodically visible over
the next few days. Corps of Engineers
had drawn down the Columbia River
in recent weeks, exposing more of the
Sandbar to sun and wind, and the way
the dust stayed aloft suggested it con-
tained lighter silt material deposited
by glacial runoff from Mount Hood in
early fall. Kirby Neumann-Rea photos
Thomas
celebrates
106th birthday
Dewey Thomas, a long-
time resident of Wasco and
now living in The Dalles, is
celebrating his 106th birth-
day Wednesday, Nov. 3, and
the event will be celebrated
with a “Birthday Card Party.”
Those wishing to join in
the celebration are encour-
aged to send a card to Dewey
Thomas, 1000 Vey Way, Apt.
254, The Dalles OR 97058.
Thomas, a veteran of
World War II, was honored
on Armed Forces Day, May
18, 2019, with a visit from
house representative Greg
Walden. A video interview
was recorded Dewey for the
Veterans History Project of
the American Folklife Center.
A memoir, written by Dewey
with his daughter, the late
Reine Thomas, was also sub-
mitted to the project.
Thomas was featured in
the May 25-26, 2019, edition
of The Dalles Chronicle, and
prior to that in November,
2014, when he celebrated
his 100th birthday. Faced
with of a six-tiered birthday
cake, Dewey said at the time,
“Well, I reckon I can blow out
a 100 candles ... I’ve got quite
a bit of wind left in me ...”
White Salmon Valley School District, Education
Foundation, provide free school supplies
WHITE SALMON — Since
the start of the COVID-19
pandemic, the White
Salmon Valley School
District and the White
Salmon Valley Education
Foundation (WSVEF) have
collaborated to provide food,
household and hygiene
items and school supplies
to families facing difficult
times. So far, needed items
have been provided to more
than 100 families, thanks
to donations from local
community members, and
from grants from the United
Way of the Columbia Gorge,
the Joan Burchell Fund
of the Gorge Community
Foundation, and the
Southwest Washington
Accountable Community of
Health.
With the start of school
and distance learning, a
major priority has been to
get school supplies such as
pencils, pens, notebooks, art
supplies, scientific calcu-
lators and headphones to
children who otherwise
could not afford them.
“Teachers and families
kept asking for school sup-
plies,” said Michelle Ward,
health and wellness coordi-
nator for the school district.
“I contacted the secretaries
at all our district schools and
we worked with teachers
and families to compile a list
of most-needed items.”
After creating this list,
WSVEF staff reached out
to local businesses for help
sourcing items.
“We felt it was really
important to buy locally,
and keep the money in our
Gorge communities,” said
Amanda Lawrence, execu-
tive director of the Education
Foundation. “Our local
businesses consistently sup-
port us with donations and
in-kind support. We believe
it’s important to buy locally
whenever we can to support
them as well, and that is
especially important during
this time.”
The bulk of the school
supplies were bought
Wasco County certifies tax roll, payment due Nov. 16
Wasco County certi-
fied the 2020-21 tax roll of
$41,932,645.69 on Oct. 8.
The tax roll includes 30
districts and three special
assessments; one county, six
cities, three fire districts, nine
general government agen-
cies, six school districts, three
education service districts
and two community colleges.
Tax statements were
mailed beginning Oct. 16.
Value changes
Value change comparison
prior years to current year:
Real Market Value
2018-19: $ 4,096,126,925
2019-20: $ 4,203,357,517
2020-21: $ 4,788,502,962
Tax Assessed Value
2018-19: $ 2,349,008,057
2019-20: $ 2,433,810,936
2020-21: $ 2,540,752,482
Taxes Imposed
2018-19: $ 39,985,712.28
2019-20 $ 42,031,310.46
2020-21 $ 41,932,645.69
One of the changes this
year is a noticeable decrease
in the taxes imposed. This
is due mainly to the retire-
ment of District 12 School
Bonds. The bond levied
$1,863,862.03 for the prior
2019-20 year, a noticeable
difference compared to the
current year taxes levied
minus the bond.
Tax payments are due Nov.
16 this year, due to the 15th
falling on Sunday. Payment
in full by Nov. 16 receives a
three percent discount. If
mailing, it must be post-
marked Nov. 16.
Paying 2/3 by Nov. 16
receives a two percent dis-
count. A 1/3 payment does
not receive a discount.
Installment payment op-
tions are due on Nov. 16, Feb.
15, 2021 and May 17, 2021.
Pandemic changes
In an effort to prevent,
slow and stop the spread of
the coronavirus, customer
service will continue to look
different this year.
Residents are asked to
utilize one of the following
Blazing Fast
Internet!
ADD TO YOUR PACKAGE FOR ONLY
19 . 99
$
/mo.
where available
2-YEAR TV PRICE GUARANTEE
America’s Top 120 Package
MO.
190 CHANNELS
for 12 Mos. Including Local Channels!
CALL TODAY - For $100 Gift Card Promo Code: DISH100
1-866-373-9175
Offer ends 1/31/21.
All offers require credit qualification, 24-month commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers. Hopper,
Hopper w/Sling or Hopper 3 $5/mo. more. Upfront fees may apply based on credit qualification.
options for tax payments
during this time:
• A new payment drop
box has been installed
outside of the Wasco County
Courthouse on Fifth Street to
assist taxpayers during this
time of COVID-19 to contin-
ue our efforts in protecting
the health and safety of our
employees and the public.
Additional payment op-
tions are:
• Payment drop slot in the
door, Room 208, at the court-
house, 511 Washington St.
• Mail to US Bank
Processing Center in
Portland. Payment cou-
pon on the tax statement
included.
• If you typically pay in
cash, we ask that you con-
sider exchanging cash for a
money order and mail your
payment.
• Online payment options
are also available. Online
payment option includes
E –Check payment, with a
flat $2. Credit card payments,
with a 2.5 percent fee charged
of tax paid (paid to the
service provider, not Wasco
County).
You can also pay by phone
at 844-435-3978.
The online payment portal
isco.wasco.or.us/depart-
ments/assessment_and_tax-
ation/index.php, click on
“online payments.”
Questions
Those with tax or value
questions, visit the new tax
information service online at
co.wasco.or.us/depart-
ments/assessment_and_tax-
ation/index.php, click on
“Ascend Web.” Informational
videos also available.
The payment coupon must
be mailed with your payment
to US Bank payment process-
ing center as it has a unique
bar code for your payment.
Questions can also be
addressed to:
Value questions, 541-506-
2510; tax questions, 541-506-
2540; or email assessor@
co.wasco.or.us.
Imagine The Difference You Can Make
DONATE YOUR CAR
1-844-533-9173
through Hood River
Stationers, who provided a
discount. Some tech items,
such as headphones, were
bought through Staples in
The Dalles, which also pro-
vided discounted pricing.
Ward is leading efforts to
provide school supplies to
families, and had this story
to share:
“A local mom was telling
me that her child has a sen-
sory processing disorder and
is really sensitive to sounds
and textures. The family lives
where there is current con-
struction going on, and the
noise has been affecting the
child and her online school
work. I told them I had some
noise canceling headphones
that I would love to give
them. The little girl was so
excited and her Mom was a
little teary and kept thanking
me and saying that those
are so expensive, and she
was wanting to get some but
couldn’t afford them.”
Families who have stu-
dents enrolled in the White
Salmon public schools
and need help with food,
household/hygiene supplies
and/or school supplies may
contact Ward at michelle.
ward@whitesalmonschools.
org.
To donate to the White
Salmon Valley Education
Foundation’s COVID-19
Response Fund, visit www.
wsvef.org or contact Amanda
Lawrence at amanda@wsvef.
org.
Timeshare Cancellation
Get your free information kit
and see if you qualify:
855-385-4473
NO MORE GUTTER CLEANING,
OR YOUR MONEY
BACK GUARANTEED!
CALL US TODAY FOR
A FREE ESTIMATE
15
%
AND!
OFF
YOUR ENTIRE
PURCHASE *
Promo Number: 285
1-855-536-8838
10 %
OFF
SENIOR & MILITARY
DISCOUNTS
+
5 %
OFF
TO THE FIRST
50 CALLERS! **
Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST
*For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. ** Offer valid at estimate only. CSLB# 1035795
DOPL #10783658-5501 License# 7656 License# 50145 License# 41354 License# 99338 License# 128344 License# 218294 License# 603
233 977 License# 2102212986 License# 2106212946 License# 2705132153A License# LEAFFNW822JZ License# WV056912 License#
WC-29998-H17 Nassau HIC License# H01067000 Registration# 176447 Registration# HIC.0649905 Registration# C127229 Registration#
C127230 Registration# 366920918 Registration# PC6475 Registration# IR731804 Registration# 13VH09953900 Registration# PA069383
Suffolk HIC License# 52229-H
Prepare for unexpected
power outages with a
Generac home standby
generator
SCHEDULE YOUR FREE IN-HOME
ASSESSMENT TODAY!
FREE TOWING
TAX DEDUCTIBLE
877-557-1912
Help Prevent Blindness
Get A Vision Screening Annually
FREE
7-Year Extended Warranty*
A $695 Value!
Off er valid August 24, 2020 - December 31, 2020
Ask About A FREE 3 Day
Vacation Voucher To Over
20 Destinations!!!
Special Financing Available
Subject to Credit Approval
*Terms & Conditions Apply