1918 — 100 years ago
Unless there is more rain in Oregon between now and August 15, the opening date for the hunting season, State Forester F.A. Elliott will be in favor of keeping the season closed. Mr. Elliott so stated in discussing the forest fire situation in Oregon. The season was the driest in the state’s history during the months of April, May and June, with scarcely more than two inches of rain during that period, whereas the usual rainfall for those months is seven or eight inches.
Letters from boys in Vietnam provided the incentive this week as Red Cross workers started preparing to send “ditty bags” to Vietnam for the third year.
Mrs. Victor Thomsen, chairman of the program, is issuing a request for funds from county residents to help pay for items that go into the Christmas presents for the servicemen. The small kits contain personal items such as small games, pens, cards and combs.
This year, the local unit has an increased quota to fill. Last year, they provided 125, and this year they’ll be filling 150.
“They’re appreciated,” said Mrs. Thomsen, who has the letters to prove it. One of them, signed Amos Wright, served as an example.
“No one, I don’t believe, cares to spend Christmas in a hospital, yet this is where I am,” he stared out. “Just last month I lost my mother, so this Christmas brought many pains and sorrows. However, your gifts brought a lot of cheer. Thank you!”
Others had a similar message.
The Christmas spirit has to come early for those wanting to participate in the ditty bag project. “It should all be finished by Sept. 15,” said Mrs. Thomsen. She’s working on the project now, and plans to call in about 20 women to help.
— Hood River News, August 8, 1968
1928 — 90 years ago
News Of The Week Of Local Interest: A covering of El Rey Statso slate shingles is fast covering the office building and sheds of the Tum-A-Lum Lumber Co. on Cascade Avenue.
An interesting program has been prepared for a union meeting of the Christian Churches of Hood River and Wasco counties to be held at Mosier on Sunday afternoon and evening, Aug. 12. It will begin with a basket dinner at 1:30 o’clock.
Pickers are coming in every evening with their buckets loaded with huckleberries, the finest and largest berries that have been known for many years, according to Boyd Summers, manager of the Mount Hood Warm Mineral Springs.
1938 — 80 years ago
With headquarters now fully established at the Taft warehouse on the interstate bridge road, Morrison & Knudsen company, contractors for the Union Pacific’s large track raising project, are beginning preliminary work in preparation for the long drive ahead. A camp is now under construction at Wyeth and it will be occupied by men who will work on the gravel pit there. Another similar camp is expected to be built just east of Mosier. A passing track is also being located at Viento and actual work on this project will probably be in hand next week.
1948 — 70 years ago
Ross Williams, Parkdale district ranger, reports that due to extreme fire hazards caused by logging slash and snags, Governor Hall has proclaimed areas in Hood River County closed to public travel. The area includes Green Point and Lake Branch creeks. No persons will be allowed on this area except for official workers. Permits to enter for official duty may be obtained at Parkdale Ranger Station.
A weeklong strike at Jaymar Lumber was amicably settled on Monday of this week and workers were back on the job. Strikers had picketed the concern last week over a protested release of an employee.
1958 — 60 years ago
An eye-opening look at the Hood River Valley’s sprinkler system of orchard irrigation is currently being taken by a ranking official in a giant Japanese irrigation cooperative as part of a technical information exchange between Japan and this nation. In the Hood River Valley for a three-week tour of soil conservation methods are Susumu Chiba, chief, general affairs department of the Aich Irrigation cooperative, and Paul Tamura, Washington, D.C., based interpreter for the soil expert. Host is Jim Crane and members of the local USDA soil conservation office. Pouring over maps of the Japanese irrigation projects and hiking over the hilly Hood River orchards, the party has arrived at some valuable information exchanges.
1968 — 50 years ago
One rabid bat, and another which might have been infected, were reported in widely separate parts of Hood River County this week. The County Health Office immediately issued notice that despite the coincidence, it could not be taken as evidence of potential outbreak. The office reported that rabies is likely to prevail in bats in this area and has little cause for alarm. One bat was found at Wyeth; the other at Parkdale.
1978 — 40 years ago
Lost Lake isn’t really lost and hasn’t been for some time. Just the opposite. This scenic lake, located southwest of Hood River in the Mt. Hood National Forest, is suffering from an acute overdose of being loved to death. According to Ron Cohen, Forest Service Recreation man at Lost Lake, “We’ve had anywhere from 35-50 cars a weekend camping outside the campground. This creates a fire danger from unattended fires in poorly made fire rings.” He added that the congestion and resource impacts caused by overcrowding are also adversely affecting the quality of the experience.
1988 — 30 years ago
A longstanding Hood River business will come under new ownership Aug. 15 with the sale of Allen Hay Motors to Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, Mich. Orville and Mike Springer announced the sale of their firm last week. The two have owned Allen-Hay Motor Company since January 1984, when the purchased it from Ed Allen. All employees will stay on board, and the two sales locations — at Fourth and Cascade and 1040 Tucker Road — will remain the same.
1998 — 20 years ago
The latest group to tackle waterfront development issues began its work Monday. The Waterfront Park Study Panel is charged with developing a plan for a public park on the vacant Parcel 6 and adjacent parcels 6X, 6Y and 7A of the waterfront master plan.
The dog days of summer are upon us. So what better way to escape the heat than by grooving to the sounds of local area bands in the shade of Jackson Park. The 16th annual Families in the Park music extravaganza kicks off Thursday night with the Bob Miller Almost All-Star Band.
2008 — 10 years ago
The new Hood River campus of Columbia Gorge Community College came in on budget and will open on schedule, the college’s board of education was told this week. The meeting was the first time the board has met at the new campus. The building will open to the public on Aug. 20.
It will be opening amid a time of transition for the college. Dr. Frank Toda, college president, announced the school had recently been notified by Northwest Accreditation Services that it is a candidate for independent accreditation. Board members believe it will help to build student pride in the college.
Compiled by Trisha Walker, News staff writer
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