The "snow birds" are beginning to drift back to High Prairie, listening to our reports of that week without power, water and driveways, and we are sure they are sorry to have missed all the excitement!
The January meeting of the High Prairie Community Council featured two speakers prior to the general meeting. School Superintendent Martin Huffman had a short presentation on the need for the upcoming school levy needed to continue our educational needs in Klickitat County.
Bill Weiler, habitat biologist, presented a wealth of interesting facts about wildlife in our area, focusing especially on the black bear (which can also be brown) numbering 25,000 - 30,000 in Washington State. Fall is the time when they seek out most of their annual fat, foraging up to twenty hours a day, as many local residents here can attest to! Since they eat most anything, they are very fond of food scraps from garbage cans, dog food or other animal/bird food , so we were warned to keep attractants inside buildings. Bill suggested that if we see a bear, we keep a distance of at least 100 yards, do not run or look the bear in the eye, but make yourself as "big" as possible. Obviously, we should always keep a distance from those cute little cubs. There is only one recorded death in Washington State from a black bear since 1900, but if one perceives a problem, call 360-696-6211. The Cascade Red Fox may be appearing in our county as well as wolves!
This past Saturday many High Prairians met to seek support for a possible levy to fund an additional fire station on Schilling Road for Fire District 14. The fire commissioners are always anxious to fill the need for additional fire fighters.
March marks the restoration of our exercise classes at the High Prairie Community Center. Zumba Gold: March 3 and subsequent Saturdays at 10 a.m.; Belly Dancing: March 7 and subsequent Wednesdays at 6 p.m.; possibly followed by yoga at 7 p.m.
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