Special
Section
Inside
‘S KATE AND D ESTROY ’
W EEKEND E DITION
Roller Girls Roll Out A7
Official Newspaper, City of Hood River and Hood River County
MLK
Day
HOOD RIVER, OREGON
■
Vol. 109, No. 5
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2015
3 Sections, 22 Pages
www.hoodrivernews.com
CL City Council
approves water
rights transfer
for Nestlé plant
Music Man
Riverside Church
hosts Monday
celebration
Gorge residents are invited to
participate in a musical celebra-
tion of the life, work and dreams of
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on
Monday at 6:30 p.m.
The theme of this year’s celebra-
tion, sponsored by Gorge Ecumeni-
cal Ministries (GEM) is “The
Dreams of Martin Luther King Jr.
Live On: Building a Community
With Justice for All.” The event
will feature music from a commu-
nity-wide Gospel Choir, directed by
local musician Tim Mayer.
The musical event will be pre-
ceded by a potluck dinner for
friends and members of GEM,
which will begin at 5 p.m.
“On the MLK holiday we will
gather to reflect upon and celebrate
the spirit-filled, justice-oriented
work of King,” said Rev. Vicky
Stifter. “We will also lift up the in-
justice and unfulfilled dreams that
exist in the lives of many in our
own community.”
In addition to
HOLIDAY
the music, sever-
CLOSURES
al area youth will
Page A2
share words of
inspiration and
challeng e and
participants will have an opportu-
nity to create and share their own
“I Have a Dream” message.
The MLK events will take place
at Riverside Community Church,
located at 4th and State Streets in
downtown Hood River. They are
free of charge and open to the pub-
lic. Donations will be accepted to
support GEM’s work with children
and youth, including Peace Village,
an interfaith program that intro-
duces children and youth in our
communities to the principles and
experience of non-violent conflict
resolution.
75 cents
about it. We’re doing our due dili-
gence on it,” explained Rick Kepler,
water quality/quantity manager for
ODFW. “We haven’t made any deci-
sions on it. We have to have more in-
By BEN MITCHELL
ternal discussions.”
News staff writer
Cascade Locks has been trying to
Cascade Locks took another step get the Nestlé plant up and running
forward this week to bring Nestlé to for several years — a project seen by
the city by approving an application city officials both past and present as
for a transfer of water rights that a potential boon for the local econo-
will ultimately help supply spring my by providing jobs and tax rev-
water for a proposed water bottling enue. However, the proposal has
plant.
been tied up for the past few years
With four
due to legal
members vot-
challenges
ing, a unani-
from environ-
mous decision
mental groups
was made by
such as BARK
the Cascade
and Food and
Locks City
Water Watch
Council Mon-
who view the
day night to
proposal as
move forward
harmful to the
with a water
Gorge.
rights cross
Originally,
transfer appli-
the city and
RICK KEPLER, ODFW
cation that the
ODFW had
city will sub-
planned to do
mit to the Ore-
a gallon-per-
gon Water Re-
gallon “water
sources Department. The applica- exchange” without touching their re-
tion would involve the permanent spective water rights. However, due
transfer of 0.5 cubic feet per second to the ongoing legal challenges, both
of the city’s ground water right for the city and Nestlé began looking for
0.5 cfs of Oregon Department of a way to expedite the process.
Fish and Wildlife’s water right to
Dave Palais, natural resource
Oxbow Spring, located just south of manager for Nestlé Waters North
the Oxbow Hatchery on the east side America, said the corporation has
of Cascade Locks. The spring water been working with Martha Pagel, a
would then be sold by the city to former director of both the Depart-
Nestlé for bottling at the yet-to-be- ment of State Lands and the Oregon
built plant.
Water Resources Department who
However, ODFW also has to sub- now specializes in water rights law
mit their own application for the as an attorney for the Portland firm
cross transfer along with the city Schwabe, Williamson and Wyatt.
and so far, have not fully committed Palais said Pagel “identified the
to doing so.
cross transfer as a potential alterna-
“They’ve suggested this alterna-
tive, however, we’re still thinking
See NESTLE, Page A8
City to file application,
ODFW still on the fence
Photo by Kirby Neumann-Rea
MARK STEIGHNER reviews music and words Thursday in a chorale
work his singers are learning in the original German. Steighner in his
teaching focuses not just on the sound and structure of music but its his-
tory and context – and correct pronunciation.
Mark Steighner honored
today as Oregon Music
Educator of the Year
By KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
News editor
A big award and official re-
tirement.
Mark Steighner accepted
congratulations from Hood
River County School Board
Wednesday for the Oregon
Music Educators Association
award as Oregon’s Outstand-
ing Music Educator of the
Year.
Human Resources director
Kevin Noreen also informed
the board that Steighner
would retire in June after
nearly 40 years in education.
On Thursday after noon,
Steighner was teaching his se-
nior chorale the finer details
of German pronunciation and
definitions as they prepared
music by 19th century com-
p o s e r Jo s e f R h e i n b e r g e r.
Steighner paused over one
particular word he wanted his
students to grasp.
“Gemutlichkeit – it’s about
a kind of calm joy, but it’s
more than that – it’s that
sense of true happiness in the
moment,” Steighner said.
“It’s a wonderful feeling and
one I hope you can experi-
ence.”
Saturday night might be
Steighner’s own opportunity
to experience the warm glow
of the moment, when he is
formally recognized at the
Oregon Music Educator Asso-
ciation’s annual conference at
the Eugene Hilton.
T h e O M E A c o m p e t i t ive
award recognizes an individ-
ual whose commitment to stu-
dents and quality teaching
represents the highest stan-
dards of the music education
profession, according to Rich
Polkinghorn, HRVHS princi-
p a l , wh o a p p e a r e d w i t h
Steighner Wednesday night at
the School Board meeting to
‘They’ve suggested this
alternative, however,
we’re still thinking about
it. We’re doing our due
diligence on it.’
t
S p o t l i g h ‘Dependable’
Ron Dunn is a familiar, friendly
a
t
u
r
d
a
y
See STEIGHNER, Page A8
A weekly series about a day in the life ...
face in the Rosauers produce department
By TRISHA WALKER
News staff writer
Photos by Trisha Walker
RON DUNN has been with Rosauers for 18 years, the past eight of those as a produce clerk. Dunn is known for calling his
customers by their first names and his cheerful, helpful attitude. Dunn frequently helps customers, answering questions or
personally taking them to an item. Here, he talks to Julie Cantrell about the store’s lettuce and herbs.
A2 — The Ale List
A3 — Entertainment
A4 — Viewpoint, How to Help
A6 — Obituaries
A7 — Sports
A9 — Happenings, Legals
A10 – Business Card Billboard
GC – Gorge Classifieds
05105 97630
See RON, Page A2
Three To Go
LOOK INSIDE
7
Ron Dunn knows a lot of people.
That’s not surprising. The 1989 Hood River Valley
High School graduate has lived in the Hood River area
all his life, now residing in Dee. Add to that his regular
customers at Rosauers Supermarket, where he works
as a produce clerk, and he might just know the whole
town.
Those relationships are his favorite part of the job.
“I love working with the public, interacting with
people — that’s why I love my job,” Dunn said.
He likens Rosauers to “Cheers” — it’s a place where
everybody knows your name.
“I’m a big first name-basis person,” he said. “I’m big
on helping the customer, encouraging them, smiling
and making my day better, for them as well if I can.”
3
Benton, Hamada named ‘Hearts of Gold’
Warming Shelter moves to former Expo Center
Volunteer tax preparers needed
Don Benton and Dr. Paul Hamada are the
2014 recipients of the Providence Hood River
Memorial Hospital annual Hearts of Gold
awards.
Hearts of Gold happens at Best Western
Hood River Inn and is open to the public.
Guests will be treated to a cocktail reception
with hors d’oeuvre, a dinner, live music and a
short program from the foundation. A limited
number of tickets ($75 per person) are avail-
able and can be purchased by calling 541-387-
6242.
All proceeds benefit the expansion of can-
cer services at Providence Hood River for pa-
tients and their families.
Beginning Jan. 25, the Hood River Warming
Shelter will move to the Expo Center (405 Portway
Ave) thanks to a partnership with the Port Com-
mission. The Shelter will be housed there
through March 8, the final date of the shelter sea-
son. Currently, the shelter is housed at five loca-
tions around Hood River on a rotating basis.
Volunteers and the rest of the community are
invited to an open house on Friday, Jan. 23, 5:30-
7:30 p.m. at the Expo Center.
Questions about donations, volunteer opportu-
nities, or the homeless in our community can be
directed to Rev. Anna Car michael (revan-
nacar michael@gmail.com) or Andy Wade
(hrws@hoodrivercares.com).
For over 35 years in the Gorge, the AARP Tax-
Aide program has been operating with volun-
teers to prepare taxes for senior citizens and low
to moderate income persons free of charge.
Volunteers are needed to join the program.
There are six days of training in January over a
two-week period in The Dalles. After that, pass-
ing a test is required for certification. Self-study
or online training is also available. Tax-Aide ser-
vices are provided in Hood River, White Salmon,
The Dalles and Tygh Valley with a minimum
four-hour per week commitment requested.
There’s lots of support and collaboration; re-
turns are done using Tax-Wise on provided lap-
tops. For details call Ronell Currie, 541-478-3461.