Map Curve, also known as “Dead Man’s Curve” by locals, is a sweeping curve of Highway 26 just west of Government Camp. The scenic stretch of highway is notorious for being the site of serious car crashes over the years. Evan Jarvis will never forget that July night in 2023 when he responded to the call as a member of the special rope rescue team. He and other emergency first responders performed the daring rescue of two injured crash victims. Hoodland and Clackamas County fir

John Drake is serving his third year of a four-year term as vice president of the Hoodland Fire District Board Of Directors. He was elected to the volunteer position in May 2023 and took office on July 1 of that year.  He retired after 26 years working as a firefighter for the Portland Fire Bureau. He spent 13 years as a line firefighter and 13 as a fire inspector with the fire marshal’s office.  He believes that being a Hoodland Fire board member and retired firefighter with

In the late hours of November 21, just a few days before Thanksgiving, a residential fire erupted just off Barlow Trail in Rhododendron. Luckily the fire was contained in just 17 minutes thanks to the robust response of local fire officials — however, the house is a total loss for the family.  Hoodland Fire Division Chief Brian Henrichs spoke to The Mountain Times , in the aftermath of the blaze. “The first call came in just after midnight, at 12:32 a.m,” he says. The first c

This past May, local voters passed a $19.1 million dollar bond measure to help build a new fire station for the Hoodland Fire District. They also elected retired attorney Kirk Peterson, a strong advocate for the bond measure, to fill a vacancy on the board of directors. A member of the fire district budget committee since 2019, Peterson looks like a good fit for Hoodland. The newest director on the board has a handle on the issues facing the fire district.  “After retiring as

Since Christi Harris joined the Hoodland Fire District staff as a part-time administrative assistant in March 2024, she has become a valuable part of the Hoodland team. She brings a lifetime of experience caring for others to the fire district. Christi has worked the last 14 years as head caregiver and administrative assistant for a special event childcare company. A widowed mother of four grown children, Christi also has served as a foster mother for medically fragile infant

This is a revision of a story originally posted in our October edition . Clarifications are posted below. On a rainy October afternoon, the warmth inside the Timberline Rim Recreation Lodge was unmistakable. Sweaters, raincoats, and the hum of friendly conversation filled the room as about two dozen members of the IWAKT Community Garden gathered for a harvest celebration marking not only the end of the growing season but also the beginning of a new partnership with the Hoodla

To read more, please check out the latest updated version of this article published in our November edition. On a warm summer morning, the IWAKT Community Garden is alive with color and sound. Tomatoes climb their stakes, bees hum among the blossoms. It’s quiet today, but the squash, berries, pungent herbs, and blooming flowers don’t mind the calm. They are soaking up the sun. Community Garden Board member Lisa Galbraith walks through the garden, pointing out various plots, d

Aidan DeOliveira always knew he wanted to have a career in public service. He says he wants to do something that helps people and now he’s getting his chance, through the Hoodland Fire District Student Program.   A 2025 Sandy High School graduate, Aidan is on the right track to achieving his ultimate goal of becoming a firefighter-paramedic. He started the two-year program two months ago and has nothing but good things to say about his experience so far. “I love it,” Aidan sa

Pat and Griffin McAbery. In the McAbery family, firefighting runs in the bloodlines. It’s part of the family DNA. Griffin McAbery, 22, became  Hoodland Fire District’s first third-generation firefighter, carrying on the legacy started by his grandfather. Griffin was hired part-time as a seasonal firefighter with the district, founded in 1966. Decades ago, Griffin’s grandfather, Dick, served on the fire district’s board of directors, setting the stage as the first generation M