A2 Hood River News,
Wednesday, May 13, 2014
G REATER G ORGE
www.hoodrivernews.com
Derailment in Midwest heats up oil train discussion in Gorge
A train that derailed and
caught fire last Wednesday
in rural North Dakota was
hauling crude oil from the
state’s oil patch, raising
questions nationwide and
i n t h e C o l u m b i a R ive r
Gorge regarding the effi-
ciency of new federal safety
standards for oil trains.
No injuries were reported
in the derailment of the 109-
car railway train May 6 at
around 7:30 a.m., the Asso-
ciated Press reported. The
accident prompted the evac-
uation of the nearby 20-per-
son town of Heimdal. It was
the fifth fiery crude-by-rail
derailment in North Ameri-
ca since February.
The derailment came in
the wake of a United States
Department of Transporta-
tion decision on May 1 to
tighten railway safety mea-
sures nationwide.
Among the USDOT’s new
oil-by-rail regulations are a
new tank car standard and
a risk-based retrofitting
schedule for older tank cars
carrying crude oil and
ethanol.
The announced rule also
requires a new braking
standard for certain trains,
updates operational proto-
cols for trains transporting
large volumes of flammable
liquids and provides new
sampling and testing re-
quirements to improve clas-
sification of energy prod-
ucts placed into transport.
Friends of the Columbia
Gorge, a local conservation
group, argued in a May 6
written release that the lat-
est accident reinforces the
danger of oil trains and the
“inadequacy of new federal
rules.”
“New oil train rules an-
nounced by the USDOT last
Friday would do nothing to
prevent most of these acci-
dents or improve communi-
ties’ right-to-know,” the
Friends wrote. “This is why
proposals for oil by rail ter-
minals along the Columbia
River and throughout the
Pacific Northwest should be
denied.”
Hood River adopted a res-
olution banning coal and oil
trains rolling through town
in December. The document
states, “because the rail
alignment runs through our
downtown area, the impact
of existing and proposed oil
trains is potentially cata-
strophic in terms of loss of
life and devastation of the
City of Hood River commu-
nity, environment and econ-
omy.”
In January, The Dalles
passed a resolution urging
state officials to pursue
tougher federal regulations
of crude oil shipments.
Photo by Curt Benson, Associated Press
SMOKE AND FIRE rise from an oil train that derailed Wednesday, May 6 near Heimdal, N.D.
Officials report four Dog Mountain
Trail rescues in two week stretch
HOME VALLEY, WASH.
— Skamania County
search-and-rescue crews
responded to four calls at
the Dog Mountain Trail
near Home Valley over the
last two weekends.
Skamania County Emer-
gency Medical Services
crews were dispatched May
2, Saturday afternoon for
an injured hiker 3.5 miles
up the trail. The adult
woman was transported to
the hospital with an ankle
injury.
T hat evening, crews
were dispatched up the Dog
Mountain Trail for a hiker
with a medical condition.
The patient, an adult male,
was descending the trail a
mile up from the trailhead.
He received medical inter-
vention and was able to
trek the remaining portion
of the trail.
Crews were again dis-
patched Sunday afternoon
for an injured hiker at the
top of the Dog Mountain
Trail. Moments later, crews
were also dispatched to a
motor vehicle collision at
milepost 54 on S.R. 14 (the
site of a recent fatality col-
lision) just next to the Dog
Mountain parking lot and
trail head. Crews respond-
ed with multiple apparatus
and assisted the five occu-
pants from the three car
collision. All occupants
were evaluated and treated
by medical personnel for
minor injuries and re-
leased.
After officials cleared the
crash scene, rescue crew
members began up the trail
to assist the hiker. The in-
jured hiker, an adult
woman, was to the south of
the meadow about 3.5 miles
up the steep trail. A heli-
copter transferred the pa-
tient to awaiting crews at
Home Valley Park, and the
patient was transported to
PeaceHealth Southwest by
ambulance for an ankle in-
jury. SCFD #1, Wind River
Search and Rescue, Silver
Star Search and Rescue and
SCSO were also on scene.
Dog Mountain Trail is a
popular destination this
time of year due to the
Submitted photo
FROM LEFT, teachers Wendy Baker, Erica Miller, Masons Ole Hel-
gerson, Bob Durham, Dan Henderson, Scott Dinger and “Bike for
Books” winning readers Dasher Evans and Nia Burtchaell-Norman.
Photo courtesy of Skamania County EMS and Rescue
EMERGENCY CREWS responded to four emergencies in the
past two weekends near Dog Mountain Trail. The four calls in-
cluded medical personnel assisting three hikers and treating
people injured in a three-car crash near the trail head.
spring flowers that bloom
in the meadow. SCEMS re-
minded the public in a
written release Sunday
that the meadow, while
beautiful, is at an elevation
gain of 2,800 feet from the
trailhead—and the trail is
difficult if not dangerous
and should only be trekked
by experienced, prepared
hikers. Rescue operations
involving multiple volun-
teer organizations are ex-
pensive and timely, SCEMS
said.
Tournament bringing pickleball athletes to Washougal
Hathaway
Park
in
Washougal will come to life
with the popping sound of
pickleballs against paddles,
cheering and laughter at the
Washoug al Rivers Edg e
Tournament – Pickleball for
the Ages on June 5, 6 and 7.
The competitive yet fun
event will be presented by
the Columbia River Pickle-
ball Club (CRPC) with some
tourism support from City of
Washougal hotel/motel tax
funds.
The three-day tournament
is sanctioned by the USA
Pickleball Association
(USAPA) and will be bracket-
ed by age groups in ten year
increments starting with age
19. A field of more than 150
athletes are expected to max
out participation. Partici-
Correction
A May 6 article on water
fluoridation contained two
errors. The projected life-
time cost of a cavity, $6,000,
includes additional opera-
tions.
The cost of fluoridating a
community water supply is
between fifty cents and $4.00
per citizen per year.
pants will travel from Van-
couver, the Seattle-area and
throughout Oregon.
Men’s doubles are Friday,
mixed doubles will be played
on Saturday and women’s
doubles will be held Sunday.
Each day’s play begins at 8:00
a.m. “Spectators are wel-
come,” said Mike Hoxie,
CRPC president and event
organizer.
On Friday, players and the
community are invited to a
social at Doomsday Brewing,
421 C. Street in Washougal,
featuring local, professional
Elvis impersonator, Mark
Stevenz. Cost at the door is
$10 and will include your
first drink (beer, wine, soft
drink), bar snacks and enter-
tainment from “The King”
starting at 7:30 p.m. There
will be food concessions at
the park on Saturday provid-
ed by Local Girls Hawaiian
Shaved Ice and Grill.
Early registration for the
Washougal tournament is
May 15 for $35. Final regis-
tration is May 29 at a cost of
$45. Registration is limited
to the first 50 teams on each
day.
For details and to regis-
ter, go to pickleballtourna-
ments.com. Contact Wolfe
at
360-335-1333
or
wolfemike@aol.com
Trout Lake students
win ‘Bikes for Books’
Two students at Trout
Lake School were awarded
bikes as part of the White
Salmon Masonic Lodge’s
2015 “Bikes for Books” pro-
gram. Dasher Evans and
N i a B u r t ch a e l l - N o r m a n
took home shiny two-wheel-
ers as a celebration of their
excellence in reading.
The “Bikes for Books”
program, incorporated by
teachers Wendy Baker and
Erica Miller, gives out bikes
to student readers through
a raffle. Students qualified
by reading a “threshold”
number of books. As an in-
ducement, the bikes were
displayed at the school.
After acknowledging all
participating students, the
winning readers were then
selected to the applause of
their fellow students.
The nationwide Masonic
“Bike for Books” program
supports local elementary
school reading programs by
awarding bicycles, helmets
and locks to students who
have demonstrated reading
proficiency according to
their school’s standards.
The local program was
supported by Hood River
Walmart providing a dis-
count on the bicycles and by
Providence Hospital Hood
River providing bicycle hel-
mets as part of its youth
“free bicycle helmet” pro-
gram.
For information on the
Masonic Bikes for Books
program, contact Ole Hel-
gerson of Masonic Lodge
#163 at 509-427-4455. For
free bicycle helmets, con-
tact Jane Burke, Providence
Hood River Hospital 541-
386-3911.
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.
WEEKLY SUDOKU
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Y OUR B USINESS N AME
Answers on Page A6
The Hood River News strives for accuracy at all times. If we make a factual
error, we welcome readers to let us know about it by calling the news department
at 386-1234.
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Skamania Lodge Golf Course
Gorge Resident * Open House
May 29th - 31st
Come play your challenging neighborhood
course FREE during this special event
designed just for you. Carts are only $15.**
Complimentary hot dog, chips and
soda also included!
Advance tee times required -
reference “Open House Event.”
Reservations begin May 15th at 800.293.0418.
We look forward to hosting your
best game of the season!
*Must be a resident of Skamania, Klickitat, Hood River or Wasco County.
**Green fee is complimentary and does not include a cart fee of $15 per player.
Golf cart is required to ensure pace of play.
RELEASE P
PARTY
ARTY
Join our family for the re
release
elease of the much
anticipated Vinette's Cu
Cuvée
uvée Pinot Noir
Noir. .
The delectable wine is named after our
granddaughter,
granddaughter
dd
h r, Vinette,
Vi
born
b
in
i May
M 2014.
2 014.
May 16th from 11-5pm
11 5pm for
fo
or wine tastings and
appetizers on our beautiful
ul patio.
3189 Hwy 35 Hood River,
Riverr , OR 541-386-1277
541-386-12 77
Just 10 minutes from downtown
downt
ntown Hood River
STEVENSON, WA
• 800-221-7117 • SKAMANIA.COM
www.wyeastvineyards.com
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Fill in all 81 squares on the puzzle with numbers 1 to 9. You can use
each number 1-9 only once in each nine square section, in each
horizontal line of nine squares, and in each vertical column of nine
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