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ERNAN “NAN” CONTRERAS prepares a pizza in the Pizza Olympics. Kirby Neumann-Rea photo
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Pizza speed yields ‘gold’ for Contreras
If you’ve seen Ernan “Nan” Contreras in action at Papa Murphy’s, you know he is fast.
But 55 seconds?
That’s how much time it took the Hood River pizza-making veteran to take the gold in a recent event known as “Pizza Olympics.”
Contreras even did so under the pressure of the TV camera lens.
Contreras, a 10-year veteran of Papa Murphy’s, took the gold medal at the Pizza Olympics when he made a family-sized pepperoni pizza in 55 seconds.
The event, which was covered by Drew Carney of Newschannel 8 at Sunrise, took place Feb. 17 and featured some of the area’s fastest pizza makers from Papa Murphy’s all over Oregon and Washington.
Contreras’ nearest competitor finished in one minute, five seconds, but Contreras remained modest.
“I knew I could do well, but I also knew there would be a lot of good pizza makers there,” he said.
According to Hood River Papa Murphy’s owner Darren Lingel, the participants had to make a pepperoni pizza to Papa Murphy’s exacting standards as fast as possible.
When asked about his secrets to success, Contreras said the trick is two-fold.
“One piece of pepperoni at a time,” Contreras said. “Ten years of making pizzas doesn’t hurt, either.”
During his 10-year tenure, Contreras has managed both The Dalles and Hood River Papa Murphy’s; he recently went back to Columbia Gorge Community College full-time and now works part-time for Papa Murphy’s.
To see Contreras’ pizza-making prowess firsthand, go to Hood River Papa Murphy’s, 1765 12th St.
Earth Day volunteers needed April 17
Park rangers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Bonneville and The Dalles locks and dams invite the public to participate in environmental stewardship projects to celebrate Earth Day, Saturday, April 17.
Volunteers at Bonneville Lock & Dam will plant native shrubs, remove Himalayan blackberry bushes and pick up litter. Registration is at 10 a.m. in the Auditorium Building at Exit 40 off Interstate Highway 84 on the Oregon Shore. Volunteer projects will run from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Wear sturdy shoes, a long-sleeved shirt and pants, and bring rain gear, gloves and a sack lunch. Water will be provided.
Interested people should RSVP to Danielle Erb at 541-374-8820 or Claudia Round at 541-374-8344.
Volunteers at The Dalles Lock & Dam will pick up litter and install four nesting boxes on trees on the shore of Corps ponds near Celilo Park at Exit 97 off Interstate Highway 84. The projects will begin at 9 a.m. Bring gloves, water bottles and a willingness to serve. Beverages will be provided throughout the morning.
Interested people should RSVP to The Dalles Lock & Dam park ranger office at 541-506-7819.
Domestic Violence presentation on March 18
A presentation addressing domestic violence aimed at both the faith-based community and the general public will be given at First Christian Church in The Dalles on Thursday, March 18.
The speaker will be Ron Clark. The presentation to the faith based community will be from 10 to 11 a.m. and the one for the general public from noon to 1 p.m. Participants at the latter are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch.
Clark is a member of the Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force and Community Against Domestic Violence and has written several books on Domestic Violence.
To make reservations for either presentation, contact Doug Marquardt at (541) 993-0548 or Brenda Baska at (541) 296-5481, Ext. 4408.
First Christian Church is located at 900 Court St.
Diabetes Group meets March 18
An organizational meeting for a parents and children’s group for those living with Type I diabetes will be held on March 18 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Salvation Army Game Room, 623 E. Third St., and then will be held on the third Thursday of each month.
For more information on the group call group leader Kim Cowan at (541) 296-4200 or (541) 980-3591.
Flagger training March 18
Columbia Gorge Community College will again offer a Work Zone Traffic Control and Flagger Training course on Thursday, March 18, at The Hood River Indian Creek CGCC Campus.
Katherine Long teaches this six-hour course which covers the fundamental principles of traffic control. This meets the requirement of the Oregon Department of Transportation construction specifications, and students will receive continuing education credits for successful completion. Reciprocity is recognized for this course by Washington, Idaho and Montana. It also qualifies a student for recertification.
Class meets from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hood River CGCC Campus: 1730 College Way, Hood River.
Cost is $75 and advance registration is required. Please call the college at (541) 506-6011 or (541) 308-8211 to sign up.
Dallesport Elementary presents Annie Junior
March 19
Dallesport Elementary School will present it’s spring musical, the Broadway Junior Production of “Annie Junior” on Friday and Saturday, March 19 and 20 at 7 p.m.
Based on the popular comic strip, “Little Orphan Annie,” “Annie Junior” tells of a spunky Depression-era orphan (played by Olivia Grim), determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan (played by Andrea Martinez).
In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations, befriends President Roosevelt (played by Gerald Girl) and finds a new family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks (played by Bobby Feeny), his personal secretary Grace Farrell (played by Lacy Carse), and a lovable mutt named Sandy (Played by Alexis Miller).
Other cast members include second through sixth graders: Bridget Jones, Ellie Smith, Rose Foss, Cheyenne Brock, Emily and Ryan Darland, Leanne Houston, Vanessa Ordaz, Abby Eskeli, Kiara Flickinger, Sararose Campanella, Stephen Ganders, Gregory Haner, Josh Showalter, Zeke Eubanks, Kaycee Radke, Katelynn and Shellie Oldfield, MaKenzie Chase, Crysta Harris, Kristina Lagewaard, Brayden Anderson, Ashley Murphy and Joe Rodriguez. Directed by Gail Farris.
For more information, call (509) 767-1132. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted at the door.
Businesses invited to partner with
Tech Discovery Day May 22
Organizers of the first Tech Discovery Day are seeking businesses that would be interested in participating in the event.
This event is being planned to encourage students to get involved and excited about future career opportunities in the broad range of fields that use technology.
Organizers are looking for businesses that are passionate about their work and willing to spend several hours helping to inspire students. Many kinds of businesses would be a good fit for this event.
Tech Discovery Day will be Saturday, May 22 from approximately 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Discovery High School campus.
Businesses would work with students aged 10 to 18 to show examples of what they do and engage them in hands on learning or interactive sessions.
Please contact Jessica Metta at Jessica@crgta.org or (541) 296-2266 if you are willing to help with this event.
AARP TaxAide help begins
AARP TaxAide will be preparing 2009 income tax returns in the Mid-Columbia area starting Feb. 1.
All preparers have been trained, certified and are able to assist taxpayers.
The list of preparation sites includes:
The Dalles: Mid-Columbia Senior Center, Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hood River: Hood River County Library, Mondays and Tuesdays, 4 to 8 p.m.; Down Manor, Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (closed Feb. 25 and March 11).
White Salmon: Klickitat County Senior Service, Wednesdays by appointment, call (509) 493-3068.
Maupin: Canyon Rim Manor, first and third Mondays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tygh Valley: Tygh Valley Community Center, Thursdays, 8 a.m. to noon.
Rufus: Rufus Community Center, Saturdays by appointment, call (541) 993-1054.
Bring the following information with you when you meet with tax preparers
• 2008 tax return,
• photo ID and Social Security cards/ITINs for anyone listed on the return,
• all income documents (w-2, 1099, Social Security, interest, unemployment, investment statements),
• medical expenses, charitable contributions, mortgage interest, real estate tax statements.
Beware income tax fraud
Income-tax season is here, and unlicensed income-tax preparers are targeting those looking for the best deals from preparers and the biggest-possible tax refunds, according to Ron Wagner, executive director of the Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners in Salem.
“Unlicensed tax practitioners commonly invent deductions and manipulate numbers to get clients bigger refunds than the law allows,” said Wagner. “When they’re eventually caught, all the returns they’ve prepared are audited and the taxpayers who used their services can find themselves repaying years’ worth of back taxes and refunds along with interest and penalties.”
“Identity theft is another kind of fraud taxpayers open themselves up for when they hand over their Social Security numbers and personal financial information to unlicensed tax practitioners,” said Wagner.
Taxpayers can avoid these troubles by ensuring that their tax practitioner is licensed, as required by Oregon law. The license must be displayed in the tax practitioner’s place of business. To make sure that license is valid and active, visit the Licensee Look-Up on the Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners Web site, www.oregon.gov/OTPB, or call the board, (503) 378-4034.
The Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners accepts and follows up on complaints about unlicensed income-tax preparers and consultants.
There are about 4,000 licensed tax preparers and tax consultants in Oregon, all of whom have studied tax law, passed rigorous exams and kept current on tax-law changes through continuing education. These individuals are licensed by the Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners, which has played a role in consumer protection since its creation in 1973 by the state legislature.
Haven seeks donations
of decor for safe house
Haven workers are hoping to freshen and improve the domestic violence program’s safe house with the help of donated items.
The safe house in The Dalles is a safe place for abused women and their children to stay while in transition from domestic violence. It is an older home that is clean and in good repair. However, this safe haven is somewhat stark, cold and dreary.
These families have been through so much that Haven workers would like to make this house a warm and inviting home that will help families feel comfortable and welcome while they make this traumatic and painful transition.
Volunteers Janna and Nicole Hage are spearheading a project to collect items to improve the safe house.
“Nicole and I were talking and thought that most of us have things in our closets and garages that we simply don’t use any more that we could put to good use in this house,” Janna wrote in a recent e-mail. “With your help we can turn this plain little house into an inviting home.”
They are looking for a number of items for the house in very good or like-new condition. Haven has no budget for the project. Their funds go for program services only. So the safe house will be fixed up one room at a time as items are donated.
Below are items needed, organized by room.
Children’s room: bunk beds, light fixture, twin sheets, twin comforters, blankets, pillows, crib sheets, crib blankets, toys (all ages), board games and puzzles (all ages), VHS movies (G-rated, Disney-type only), small dresser, small shelves or toy storage, small TV with built-in VHS, fun artwork for walls, blinds or curtains for two windows 69 inches tall by 28 inches wide.
Living room: sofa and love seat (leather would be nice for ability to clean), artwork for walls, TV, DVD player, corner TV cabinet, table lamps, decorating items.
Kitchen: microwave hood fan for over the stove (existing appliances are almond), décor items (pictures, cookie jar, etc.), dishes, glasses, pots and pans, window blinds (call for sizes, chrome shelving for storage.
Mom’s room: queen-sized bed, box spring, mattress and bedding (sheets, blankets, comforter, pillow shams – things to make this room a relaxing sanctuary), curtains or drapes, light fixture, new carpet (10 by 12 feet, plus closet and installation), wall art, bedside table, lamp, small dresser, uplifting books, décor items.
Bathroom: shower curtain, matching towels.
General: wall-mount shelves, shelf unites for storage, a well-running computer for kids’ homework and computer games, stacked washer-dryer.
Volunteers for occasional painting are also needed.
Items can be dropped off at Hage Electric, 3701 Klindt Drive in The Dalles.
Contact Janna Hage at wwanda@gorge.net or (541) 993-2229, or Nicole Hage at nicolehage@hageelectric.com for more information.
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