“‘Well done’ is better than ‘well said’.” —Benjamin Franklin
MOUNTAIN VENUES with MENUS Local Drinks and Dining Guide Page 18
Postal Customer Prst Std U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 39 Welches, OR.
“The Most Read Paper on the Mountain”
Vol. XXXII, No. 1 n A Free, Independent Newspaper n www.mountaintimesoregon.com
January 2024
n SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF MOUNT HOOD n
Welches, Brightwood, Wemme, Wildwood, Zigzag, Rhododendron, Government Camp, Sandy and Boring
Sandy DMV Slated for Feb Re-Opening By Adrian Knowler The Mountain Times
Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles officials hope that the Sandy office will reopen some time in February after being closed for nearly two years. DMV closed six branches statewide in May 2022, including the Sandy location, with officials stating at the time that the offices were to be closed for a period of three months. At the time, the DMV cited staffing shortages as the reason for the shut down. More than a year and a half later, department officials report that they have now hired enough people to staff the location, but that the crop of new hires require additional training before reopening the Sandy branch. The reopening effort is still in the planning stage, according to an email from spokesperson Michelle Godfrey. “A sufficient number of positions have been filled in both Gresham and Sandy but the new staff need to complete a minimum amount of training before reopening the office,” Godfrey wrote. “DMV frontline positions require a great deal of training and knowledge to be able to effectively serve the public. We are targeting mid-late February, but staffing is fluid and can change quickly so we are not yet prepared to state that time range unequivocally.” The Sandy office is the only one of the half dozen still shuttered, according to Godfrey.
Citizens Concerned Over Excessive Speeding on HWY 26 By Amber Ford
The Mountain Times
Similar to traffic lights, speed limits are enforceable measures set forth by law enforcement, county officials and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Speed limits, which are enforceable by law, act as a safety barrier through heavily commuted areas, residential neighborhoods and dangerous roads and highways that hold the potential for fatalities. As with many communities across the country, the 45 mph speed limit, while enforced by state and county law enforcement agencies, is rarely adhered to and has oftentimes led to severe and fatal automotive accidents. Commonly referred to as “Blood Alley,” Highway 26 and its speed enforcement has become a hot topic for mountain residents as traffic continues to grow and speed through the Mt. Hood Villages. Long time resident and concerned citizen, Suzie Kuerschner, has been an advocate for enforcing the speed limit and has been in contact for several consecutive years with the Oregon Department of Transportation. According to Kuerschner’s communi-
see SPEEDING page 11
New School Resource Officer’s Positive Impact By Ty Walker
The Mountain Times
see DMV page 19 INDEX Mountain Profile�������������������������������������������������������2 Fire Focus ��������������������������������������������������������������������6 Opinion.................................................................... 8–9 Wildcat Tracks ��������������������������������������������������������13 Museum Chatter ���������������������������������������������������14 The Woodsman ������������������������������������������������������15 Health................................................................20—21 Crossword/Sudoku�����������������������������������������������24 The Viewfinder ������������������������������������������������������25 Classified Ads ����������������������������������������������������������28 Transitions ����������������������������������������������������������������29
cation with ODOT, both the state and county are well aware of the excessive speeding through the Mt. Hood Villages. Having lived on the mountain prior to the widening of Highway 26, Kuerschner has witnessed how worrisome and dangerous the 45 mph zone can be. “I first witnessed a dramatic decrease in safety because of the Highway 26 widening project between ZigZag and Rhododendron 20 years ago,” Kuerschner said. “The first fatal accident occurred during the first year as a
result of a resident speeding in from the Woodlands neighborhood,” Kuerschner added. Typically keeping their patrolling to a minimum in the Mt. Hood Villages, both Clackamas County Sheriff and Oregon State Police are typically restrained to delivering a high degree of vigilance with regard to speeding only on busy holiday weekends, popular events (such as the relay race Hood to Coast) and the summer season. According to many Mt. Hood Villages residents, this is not only a problem with taking resources away from other emergency needs, it also has zero impact because there is no consistent reinforcement of the 45 mph speed limit. Several concerned Mt. Hood Villages residents, including Kuerschner, have reached out to ODOT and other local agencies advocating for a change to this corridor. Meetings and open communication have occurred throughout the last several years, but according to many, they have yet to make an impact.
Officer Hala Ling - courtesy of City of Sandy Facebook
In order to become a school resource officer, Sandy Police Officer Hala Ling took a weeklong special training seminar at the Oregon Coast. But he said being a father and coaching youth sports have been the best training he’s had to prepare him for his new job working with youth. Ling is a four-year veteran Sandy police officer, but a rookie when it comes to being a school resource officer.
He began his first year this fall in the Oregon Trail School District. He is one of two SROs assigned to the 11-school district. “Honestly, the best training that I’ve received to be an SRO and work with kids is being a dad and coaching youth sports. That is honestly the best thing that prepared me for dealing with kids.” Ling moved from Portland to Sandy with his wife and three young children see OFFICER page 11