Wednesday,May26,2021
Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
3
New lodging business
could be nixed from
enterprise benefits
Wheel Work
Oberst,
■ By For Gail
Columbia Gorge News
George Riggs, a The Dalles auto mechanic who lives in Dallesport, tightens the hub on a horse-drawn carriage at The Dalles Riders Club
during a recent event. Riggs said it was the first carriage he had worked on, but noted “wheels are wheels.”
Mark B. Gibson photo
NEWS IN BRIEF
Expect traffic delays during these times. For more infor-
mation, contact Marlo Messmer at 541-387-5201.
Red Cross Blood Drive May 26
The White Salmon Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 531 E.
Tohomish, will host an American Red Cross blood drive on
May 26 from 12:30-6 p.m.
“An estimated 38 percent of Americans are eligible to give
blood, but of those, less than 10 percent actually donate each
year,” said a press release. “If you are healthy and eligible,
please come out to donate. Most donations take about an
hour, so book your appointment, roll up your sleeve and
become a part of the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross and
The White Salmon Seventh-Day Adventist Church. A recent
COVID-19 immunization does not make you ineligible to
donate. All donations are tested for COVID-19 antibodies.”
To schedule an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org and
Crews excavate a section off the shoulder of I-84 west and creat-
ed bench cuts along the slope. These bench cuts, which resemble enter “whitesalmon.”
stairs, are filled with rock to help secure the embankment and the
highway shoulder.
Photo courtesy of ODOT
Long delays on I-84 near Cascade Locks
The right lane of westbound I-84 remains closed around-
the-clock for landslide repairs east of Cascade Locks. The
schedule calls for completion and re-opening of the lane in
June.
Crews closed the right westbound lane at milepost 48
earlier this month to repair an embankment adjacent to the
highway damaged by a slide. This slide was one of a series
of landslides during winter storms that forced occasional
closures of I-84 and the Historic Columbia River Highway.
Over the past two weekends of work, travelers have expe-
rienced long delays on I-84 west. Expect and plan for long
delays or take an alternate route.
During the work, the shoulder of westbound I-84 is closed.
A signed detour for people riding bicycles on I-84 west will
be available by taking Exit 51 and following Wyeth Road into
Cascade Locks. The speed limit is reduced to 55 mph in the
lane closure area. Visit TripCheck.com for real-time traffic
conditions.
HR bridge replacement project update
Work on the I-84 bridge replacement project between exits
63 and 64 in Hood River is on schedule, said Don Hamilton,
Region 1 public information officer, Oregon Department
of Transportation, with all six lanes open again just prior to
Memorial Day weekend.
“Then we’re back to work again for a couple weeks in June
to pave the approaches to the bridge, do permanent striping
and median barrier, etc.,” he said.
All work in June that has an impact on traffic, such as lane
closures, will take place at night, he said. The project is set to
be completed before June 30.
HR Public Works paving project
Starting Tuesday, May 25 and running through Thursday,
May 27, Hood River Public Works crew will be paving Ninth
Street between State and Hazel streets, and Hazel Street
between Seventh and Ninth streets.
During this period, vehicles must not be parked on the
street between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Vehicles left in
the work area will be towed at owner’s expense.
Addiction Disorder treatment program launching
Mid-Columbia Center For Living (MCCFL) has announced
it is the recipient of an Oregon Health Authority (OHA) grant
to increase access to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treat-
ment services to improve the rate of successful recovery from
addiction, according to a press release from the agency.
The SUD treatment services will include medically-as-
sisted treatment when appropriate, in addition to evi-
dence-based group and individual therapy. Based on the
concept that addiction is a chronic disease, treatment is
designed to help people learn to successfully manage their
disease rather than letting the disease manage them.
“The program has opened a new door and a more direct
door to SUD Treatment Services,” said Dr. June Gower, execu-
tive director of MCCFL.
The program is a team approach to SUD treatment. It starts
with the support of peer mentors, who facilitate initial access
and support ongoing adherence to treatment. There are
medical services that evaluate for disease-related medical
issues and assess the need for medically assisted treatment.
The core of the program are group and individual SUD
counselors, who give those suffering with substance abuse
the tools they need for successful sober living.
MCCFL is the regional behavioral health provider for Hood
River, Wasco and Sherman counties.
Lyle Lions community breakfast June 5
Lyle Lions Club will again host its community breakfast
after more than a year’s hiatus on Saturday, June 5 from 7-10
a.m. at the community center on the corner the Fifth and
Highway14 in Lyle.
Cost is $7 adults, $4 for those 6-12 and free for those 5 and
under. All Klickitat County Department of Health guidelines
will be followed.
property tax exemptions
for up to five years, if the
zone meets state guidelines
for economic hardship.
The Hood River City
Council is planning to elimi- The potential development
nate new hotels, motels and also must fit increasingly
resorts from receiving future narrow guidelines as the
enterprise zone benefits that area’s hardships are reduced.
include tax credits and other Currently, the city’s focus is
construction cost reductions. to attract new manufacturing
businesses or expanding
The plan does not include
those businesses currently in current businesses with new
construction or machinery
the zone.
that would increase employ-
A final resolution re-des-
ignating the city’s enterprise ment. Retail, financial or
zone is set for consideration construction businesses or
June 14 at the council’s next land purchases, for example,
do not qualify. Most of Hood
regular session.
River’s commercial and
Lodging businesses are
industrial-zoned properties
already motivated to locate
are in the enterprise zone.
in Hood River and don’t
Although the zone is
need extra incentives,
shrinking as the area’s
which are costly, members
economy improves, the staff
of the council agreed. Staff
recommendations, however, and city council agreed that
economic zones are still
warned against removing
essential to remain competi-
lodgings from the zone, as
the businesses are large
tive with other cities.
employers and they also
generate local lodging taxes.
If the council approves the
resolution June 14, it can
reconsider its designations
in the next six months.
In the past five years, the
city has given up potential
tax revenues in the enter-
Tomb of Unknown
prise zone, adding six new
Soldier honored
or expanded projects, and
61 full-time jobs. One of
Continued from page 1
the latest developments
in the zone includes the
new Hampton Inn on the
spacing protocols will be
waterfront, according to
followed. American Legion
staff reports.
will start with the Posting of
The proposal to remove
Colors; Abreila Lopez will
lodgings was made as part
sing the National Anthem,
of the council’s proposal
and Carl Casey will open and
to retain some existing
close. Sexton Bob Huskey
enterprise zone features in
and Nick Kirby will speak,
the city. Hood River’s enter- and the Daughters of the
American Revolution will
prise zone, S
one of 74 in the
state of Oregon, was due to honor the 100th anniversary
of the Tomb of the Unknown
sunset June 30, after being
Soldier. All are welcome.
in place for 20 years.
Enterprise zones allow
cities to offer developers
MEMORIAL
c gn
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Gourmet Take-Out
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Craft fair, flea market scheduled; vendors needed
Mid-Columbia Senior Center is having a Craft-Flea Market
on Saturday, June 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and interested ven-
dors can call or text Dianna Thomas at 541-980-1405.
Submit your story.
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