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A2 Hood River News, Wednesday, March 11, 2015 G REATER G ORGE www.hoodrivernews.com Interest in early childhood education sought for Lyle, Dallesport area By AMBER MARRA The Enterprise Three entities are explor- ing the possibility of bring- ing an Early Childhood and Education Assistance Pro- gram (ECEAP) back to serve the Lyle and Dallesport area, but are in need of qual- ifying parents to express in- terest first. The Mid-Columbia Chil- dren’s Council (MCCC), Lyle School District, and Educa- tional Services District 112 have been working together to reestablish Lyle and Dallesport ECEAP. That area’s ECEAP was nixed when the arbitrary and across-the-board cuts known as the sequester took effect in 2013-2014. Now that the three entities are at- tempting to form a partner- ship to bring it back for next school year, income-eligible parents expressing interest in taking advantage of the program is vital to its re- turn in Dallesport, accord- ing to Matthew Solomon, ex- e c u t ive d i re c t o r o f t h e MCCC. “One big ‘if ’ is if there is enough income-eligible chil- dren in that area. We need at least nine-to-10 kids that are eligible, or we can’t go to the state to ask for the money for (ECEAP) because we can’ t justify the need,” Solomon said. To get the program start- ed, there needs to be at least 10 income-eligible families expressing interest as soon as possible. Income eligible parents of 3- or 4-year-old children should contact Julie Larson, parent-student community engagement specialist with the Lyle School District, im- mediately if interested. She can be reached at (509) 365- 2211. When it comes to ECEAP, “income eligible” means a family has to be 110 percent of the federal poverty level or below. For example, a family of four that makes $26,235 per year would quali- fy as 110 percent of the fed- eral poverty guideline and therefore be eligible for ECEAP. According to Larson, chil- dren from outside the Lyle and Dallesport area would be accepted into the pro- gram, but they might not be eligible for transportation to the ECEAP facility, if it comes to fruition. “Any child that’s in foster care would be a priority, children with disabilities are welcome and we’d be ready to accommodate them, plus we would have bilin- gual staff,” Larson said. But all of that is depen- dent on a few things. As pre- v i o u s ly m e n t i o n e d , t h e school district, the MCCC, and ESD 112 need to know that there is a need for the return of an ECEAP in the Lyle-Dallesport area, then if 10 or more families do ex- press interest the three enti- ties have to apply for the funding from the state to form the program and get it going for next school year, according to Solomon. “There’s a lot of ‘ifs.’ If the state of Washington and the legislature provide us with funding for expansion of ECEAP we’d also have to see which particular design the funding could support. We’re not sure if it would be a three-day model, like we run in Goldendale, or five days per week, which is un- likely unless they really in- crease the amount of fund- i n g we g e t p e r ch i l d , ” Solomon said. Larson said programs like ECEAP and Head Start are important for 3- and 4-year- olds because it gets them ready to enter a structured learning environment. “They develop really valu- able social skills and they learn to interact with their peers and get a lot of really good exercise and support for their health, like meals, and they learn basic acade- mics, like the alphabet and how to write their names, how to handle books and Photo by Amber Marra POSEIDON ESSEX and Ella Zaugg explored the letter F by creating flowers in Shelly Spadaro’s kinder- garten class at Dallesport Elementary last Thursday. The Lyle School District, Mid-Columbia Children’s Council, and Educational Services District 112 are exploring options for bringing an Early Childhood and Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) back to the Lyle and Dallesport area. ECEAP serves as an environment where 3- and 4-year-olds can learn basic social and academic skills before entering the kindergarten classroom. that school and learning is fun,” she said. L a r s o n h o p e s t h at i f ECEAP is established it can be close to Dallesport Ele- mentary School so the chil- dren in the program can oc- casionally get a taste for what goes on in a kinder- garten classroom before ini- tiating their academic ca- reer. “Some kids are anxious when they hear about school, so it can reduce that. The nice thing about being so close to Dallesport Elemen- tary would be that kids can interact and get a sense of what kindergarten will be like, which is all part of preparing them to be suc- cessful in school,” Larson said. City, county officials restart riverfront park discussion By SVERRE BAKKE The Enterprise Is a riverfront park in White Salmon’s future? City and Klickitat County officials are in the initial stages of discussing the pos- sibility of a lease or a lease- purchase ag reement for some 800 feet of undeveloped riverfront acreage that sits between the Columbia River shoreline and the BNSF Rail- way main line east of the Hood River Bridge. Mayor David Poucher made a new pitch to the County Board of Commis- sioners on Jan. 6 concern- ing the narrow strip of land that the county now holds through tax foreclosure. City officials wanted the County Board to give the city the land a few years ago. Now, it wants the coun- ty to entertain a lease or lease-purchase agreement for the property, contingent on the city’s ability to se- cure necessary agreements for access to the water. “What we would like to do is some kind of long-term purchase a g reement,” Poucher told The Enterprise last week. “The City Council likes the idea be-cause it could offer a range of recre- ational opportunities for the residents of the community.” According to the city’s Shore-lines Master Plan, the property in question is desig- nated as a Conservancy En- vironment, “and could only be used for recreation,” Poucher said. City officials approached the County Board a few years ago with a request that the county deed the property to the city as the site for a fu- ture park. The County Board balked at giving the land away because of the amount owing in taxes to local junior taxing district. Commission- ers took the position that the city had to pay the back taxes, interest, and penalties owing on the land. The city declined the offer because it did not have money available to acquire the property. Commissioner David Sauter of Lyle said the Coun- ty Board was “ambivalent to- ward anything other than a sale” when city officials first broached the idea. Since then, the County Board has reconsidered and has indicated to Mayor Poucher that it is “open to the idea of a lease or sale” because “it would be nice to get the taxes paid back.” At this juncture of the pre- liminary talks, “the ball is in the city’s court,” Sauter said. “But I’m pretty confident something is going to happen if the city can work out ac- cess with the tribe and the railroad.” Poucher said City Admin- istrator Pat Munyan Jr. will be meeting on the ground with BNSF representatives in the second week of April to discuss access through BNSF facilities to the water- front. “T hat’s the big one,” Poucher said, “Can we get across the railroad side of it?” He said BNSF has prelimi- narily indicated its interest in working with the city to resolve its access issues. “What we’re hearing from the railroad folks is, ‘You know, this sounds doable. Let’s go look at, scope it out, talk about it, and see where we can go,” Poucher noted. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed and trying to build a relationship with BNSF to help us get this done.” Photo courtesy of Klickitat County PHOTO outlines property where the City of White Salmon would like to put a riverfront park. Dis- cussions with the county and The North Bonneville Pub- enues from the store to sup- larly sends representatives take control of the debate BNSF are in preliminary stage. First government-owned pot shop opens in North Bonneville lic Development Authority (NBPDA) announced the opening of The Cannabis Corner, the nation’s first gov- ernment owned and operat- ed recreational marijuana store on March 7. Operating under Washing- ton’s marijuana law, I-502, and licensed by the Washing- ton State Liquor Control Board, The Cannabis Corner sells a wide variety of mari- juana, marijuana-infused ed- ibles and liquids, and related glass paraphernalia. The NBPDA will use the rev- port public safety within the city of North Bonneville. North Bonneville Mayor Don Stevens says, “The city formed the NBPDA to ensure that marijuana sales are done in a way that maxi- mizes the benefits to our community while minimiz- ing any ne gative conse- quences.” While the city looks to benefit from the en- deavor, he says “the revenues will certainly be helpful, but our first priority is public safety.” Noting that the PDA regu- to Skamania County’s drug prevention committee, Board President Tim Dudley expressed his desire for the NBPDA to be, “a strong pro- ponent for responsible use of marijuana through educa- tion of our customers and an alliance with drug treatment efforts.” Mr. Dudley went on to ex- plain that “the NBPDA is an entirely separate legal entity from the city,” but that “it can serve as a model for other cities in Oregon and Washington who want to and situation rather than sit- ting on the sidelines.” The store will be open seven days each week, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. HOOD RIVER NEWS (ISSN 07465823) is published twice weekly, every Wednesday and Saturday. Subscription rates: $42 per year prepaid ($36 for senior citizens, 65 and over) in Hood River County and western Wasco County, Oregon; and Klickitat and Skamania counties,Washington. Elsewhere, $68 prepaid per year. Known office of pub- lication, 419 State Ave., Hood River, OR 97031-2031. Periodicals postage paid at Hood River, Oregon. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HOOD RIVER NEWS, P.O. Box 390, Hood River, OR 97031-0103. They’re Back! $ 15 Prime Rib Fridays China Gorge is excited to offer Fresh-Squeezed Juices to make your Favorite Cocktail an Experience, not just another drink. Grace Su’s Happy Hour the 5-6 p.m. During winter Every Day 541-386-3940 Stonehedge Gardens Restaurant & Tiger Lounge Open Tues.-Sun. 11am-9pm Intersection of Hwys 30 & 35 (541) 386-5331 • Hood River www.chinagorge.com UNIQUELY GORGE ADVERTISING WORKS We are thrilled with response we’ve gotten from the Uniquely Gorge ads, it’s a great way to reach the people of the Gorge Jake Morgan Morgan Paint Reserve your space for the next edition now! Your ad reaches 12,000 homes Gorge hoodrivernews.com Jan. 2015-April 2015 541.386.1234 Liana Stegall “Give me a call today and let’s work together to find the best advertising for your business.” 541.386.1234 ext. 220 lstegall@hoodrivernews.com 419 State Street • Hood River, OR 97031 • 541.386.1234 hoodrivernews.com HUGE SALE Thur -Sun March 12-15 30%-70% OFF (Many close-out items) 314 Oak St. Hood River • 541-386-1240
