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The Dalles, OR (updated July 15, 2024) - Firefighters from the Oregon Department of Forestry's Central Oregon District, U.S. Forest Service, local fire districts and landowners have quickly responded to a wildfire in Wasco County. Firefighters are under initial attack and will continue operations into the night. The fire is currently burning with moderate-to-high spread, estimated at 1500+ acres in grass and timber fuel types at this time. Containment is at 0%. The Larch...
LONE ROCK, OR (4:40 PM July 14, 2024) — A fire in Gilliam County, Oregon has grown significantly this weekend and area residents near Lone Rock are under a Level 3 Evacuation Order from the Gilliam Co. Sheriff's Office. An Emergency Alert was sent out by Frontier Regional 911 at 3:58 PM on Sunday, July 14, urging local residents in the town of Lone Rock and those who live nearby to evacuate. The Memorial Hall in Condon is serving as an evacuation center and will have l...
PENDLETON, OR (3:15 PM July 15, 2024) — Multiple agencies are responding to the Lone Rock Fire and officials have ordered a Complex Incident Management Team which will transition with the current Type 3 Incident Management Team. The fire is approximately 9 miles northwest of the Bull Prairie Campground and approximately 8 miles northwest of Fairview Campground in Gilliam County and is growing towards Wheeler County. Forest officials are temporarily closing all Umatilla N...
CONDON, OR (11:45 AM, July 15, 2024) - A rapidly escalating grassland fire near the town of Lonerock, in Gilliam County, has necessitated significant emergency response efforts since its outbreak on Saturday, July 13. Initially spanning 4,200 acres, the fire surged to over 50,000 acres within a mere 24-hour period. In response to the escalating threat, the Gilliam County Sheriff's Office issued a Level 3 "Go Now" Evacuation order for the town of Lonerock on Sunday, July 14,...
The history of small towns in frontier communities is as rich if not richer than in larger towns and cities. Early inhabitants who moved West sacrificed everything and overcame incredible odds to carve out a new life and future. For pioneers in expansive rural areas, the challenges of settling and sustaining a town were significant. But today, preserving that history and its artifacts is a unique challenge that many tiny towns face. The town of Spray is a perfect example. In...
Grant Wilkins is preparing to join the Gilliam County Court as County Commissioner next week. Wilkins won the election for the position in May with more than 68% of the vote. Normally, Wilkins would start his term in January. But the seat for Gilliam Co. Commissioner has sat vacant since the special recall election ousted former Commissioner Pat Shannon on April 30. Judge Cris Patnode offered the appointment to Wilkins during the June 26 court session, but Wilkins asked for...
Osprey Trills shrilly Overhead Hovers quivers Night jars swoop Insectivorous Les razmottes Sont partout Diving buzzing Feinting seeking Move over Józef Wroński Willow weeps Hounds bay Seeking Tree frogs say Creek creek Creek creek Slowly Dogs bark 'cross the river Wild turkeys chortle Curiously unusual No whortleberries this year Только ягоды рябины Furry legged spider Crawls eight legged Yellow heart Shaped spot Plus two yellow Eye looking things Look like a face On her back...
Heppner, OR - Bank of Eastern Oregon (BEO) has been named one of the country's top agricultural lenders in 2024 by the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA). BEO ranks 18th on the list of community banks with $300 million to $1 billion in assets and is the only Pacific Northwest Bank based agricultural lender on this list. The article in Independent Banker magazine includes photos of BEO personnel visiting Painted Hills Natural Beef in Fossil, Oregon; a customer who...
In last week’s installment devoted to David Maisel’s Library of Dust, I noted that he registered that what is now called the Oregon State Hospital operated a gas crematorium for decades and decades. It remains unknown precisely where and how many unclaimed bodies of its residents were disposed of between 1883 (at the institution’s founding) and 1913, when the gas crematorium commenced. So many were treated thus, however, that, by 1924, the numbering system had regis...
During the last county court meeting on June 26, a discussion about the county’s investments in childcare and early childhood education took place. Some members of the community questioned how the previous court could have spent $1.7 million on childcare in Condon. The court began to deliberate grant applications from the Condon ELC and the Arlington Daycare Center. A member of the grants committee said that there was concern about the amount of money being requested by the C...
David C. Low passed away peacefully on June 22, 2024, in Beaverton Oregon. Born in The Dalles, Oregon in April 1944. David was the youngest born to William and Pearl Low. He was raised and educated in Condon, Oregon graduating in 1962. He participated in basketball and baseball where the team was co state champions his senior year. He was also the senior class president. He married Nancy in 1964, they settled in Forest Grove, Oregon in 1969 and raised their three children...
A couple of weeks ago I wandered up and down the aisles of a Safeway and felt an odd combination of awe, appreciation and overwhelm. That’s quite a bubbling stew of emotions, isn’t it? Why so many? The vast amount of food choices we have in our society is truly something to behold. Yet despite this overflowing cornucopia of plenty, most people struggle with the question of what to make for dinner. Wow, that’s a strange paradox! The scholarly and academic people have concl...
HEPPNER, OR - BEO Bancorp (OTCBB:BEOB) and its subsidiary, Bank of Eastern Oregon, announced second quarter 2024 consolidated net income of $3,755,000 or $3.06 per share. Total assets were $852.3 million; Net loans of $563.3 million; Deposits were at $754.7 million. Shareholder equity was at $71.76 million. "Second quarter earnings are up 13.1% compared to the same period in 2023; earnings per share increased 10.9%. Total assets increased 3.9%; deposits up 1.7%; net loans...
Days of Yore for July 11, 2024 10 years ago— Now in its 11th year, the Penny Gronquist Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament and Auction was held with fifty-eight golfers competing in the 9-hole scramble for this year’s trophy. Winning the tournament was the team of Dave Walborn, Michael Walborn, Tim Gilbert and Leslie Walborn posting a 9-hole score of 28. Johnny Wayne Johnson is lucky to be with us after a motor vehicle mishap in Wheeler County left his pickup and horse tra...
The area was well represented at the 2024 edition of the Silver State International Rodeo held in Winnemucca, NV over the 4th of July week. Junior and High School contestants from 10 states saw competition. Leading the way was Tate Turner, Cecil. He and his partner, Ethan Patton won the Junior High Team Roping average. They brought trophy saddles and other awards back to Oregon. Arlington's cowboy, Colt Gronquist won the first go around and ended up third in the average in...
SPRAY, OR - Emily Reed participated in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Auxiliary "Get Excited for the Red White and Blue" competition. She submitted a Youtube video of herself singing the US National Anthem. Emily placed First at the VFW State Convention in the 9th to 12th grade level and received a certificate and a $500 check. The check and certificate were presented to Emily in June by the VFW Dexter Fincher VFW Auxiliary members from Prineville, Oregon after a...
