Oregon State Police released details on Monday night’s two-vehicle crash on Highway 26 in Wasco County that left two people dead. The crash happened around 9:16 p.m. near milepost 74 — about 29 miles northwest of Warm Springs, along the mountain descent from the Mount Hood National Forest into the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Police say a semi-truck hauling a 53-foot intermodal container was traveling eastbound when the driver, 31-year-old Dagoberto Moreno-Prada of Eugene, lost control while navigating a corner. The truck and trailer rolled and slid into the westbound lane, where they were struck head-on by an SUV driven by 35-year-old J. Natividad Martinez-Colin of Vancouver, Washington. The crash dislodged the large steel shipping container from the trailer. The container and the SUV went through the guardrail and came to rest off the highway, while the semi-truck rolled several more times before stopping in the roadway. Moreno-Prada and Martinez-Colin were both pronounced dead at the scene.
Recreation Sites Damaged By Grasshopper Fire
Firefighters and resource advisors have assessed damage at most developed recreation sites within or near the Grasshopper Fire perimeter. On the Mount Hood National Forest, five recreation sites sustained some level of damage: Bonney Horse Camp, Bonney Crossing Campground, Little Badger Campground, Fifteenmile Campground and Badger Lake Campground. Damage ranges from fire-weakened trees to burned or destroyed infrastructure, including picnic tables, signs and hitching posts. Flag Point Lookout was also lost in the fire. There is some good news. Firefighters were able to protect Pebble Ford Campground, Eightmile Campground, Underhill Campground, Lower Eightmile Campground and Camp Baldwin, a private Scouting America inholding.
Bridge Closures Planned
The Hood River–White Salmon Bridge will see several overnight closures and daytime traffic interruptions beginning Monday. The work includes mechanical and electrical maintenance on the bridge’s lift system, along with steel and coating repairs designed to keep the existing bridge operating until a replacement is completed. The bridge will be fully closed overnight Monday through Thursday of next week from midnight until 6 a.m. During the day, Monday through Wednesday, drivers can expect brief traffic interruptions between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Most will last about 15 minutes, but delays of up to an hour are possible between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., and again from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Additional overnight closures for steel and coating repairs are scheduled on weekdays from September 29th through October 12th, from midnight until 5:30 a.m. Drivers are advised to plan ahead, expect delays and use an alternate route during full bridge closures.
Skamania County Search & Rescue Seeking Volunteers
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team is opening its volunteer application period October first through October 31st. The team is made up of volunteers who assist the Sheriff’s Office with search, rescue and emergency response operations throughout the region. Volunteers respond to missing-person searches, wilderness rescues, disaster support and other emergencies, often in challenging terrain and weather conditions. Officials say members commit to ongoing training, operational readiness and teamwork in demanding environments. In return, volunteers gain the opportunity to serve their community, develop valuable skills and be part of a mission-driven team. No prior search and rescue experience is required. Those interested can learn more and apply at SCSOSAR.org/join-us.
Cascade Locks Celebrates Bridge Of The Gods Centennial
A Columbia Gorge landmark is turning 100, and Cascade Locks is marking the occasion this weekend. The Bridge of the Gods will celebrate its centennial Saturday with a festival at Marine Park. The celebration runs from noon to 8 p.m. and includes live music, historical presentations, family activities, a vintage car show and local vendors. The steel bridge opened in 1926. The bridge also stands near the site of a much older natural crossing. Native American oral histories describe a land bridge across the Columbia, while researchers believe it may have been formed by a massive landslide from Mount Hood.
Mariposa Village Receives Award
The new affordable housing development in Hood River is receiving statewide recognition. Mariposa Village has been named a 2026 Building Tomorrow Today Award winner by the Oregon American Planning Association. The project is the City of Hood River’s newest affordable housing development — and the first time the city has taken on the role of housing producer. When complete, Mariposa Village will provide 130 income-restricted homes for families earning between 30 and 60% of the area median income. The city purchased seven acres for the project and leveraged $1.6 million in local resources to attract nearly $55 million in outside investment. The first two of six residential buildings are now complete, and residents have begun moving in. The entire development is expected to be finished by spring 2027. City officials say the project is the result of more than a decade of planning, public engagement and partnerships aimed at addressing housing affordability in the Hood River community.
POW/MIA Ceremony Friday
The Dalles will mark National POW/MIA Recognition Day Friday with a ceremony honoring American service members who were prisoners of war or remain missing in action. The annual observance is set for Friday, at 6 p.m. at the Kelly Viewpoint Veterans Memorial on Scenic Drive, across from Sorosis Park. Local veterans groups, including American Legion Post 19, are organizing the ceremony. The program will honor missing and captured service members and their families. Community members and local businesses are also encouraged to display POW/MIA flags throughout the day. National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed each year on the third Friday of September.
September 17 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Boys Soccer
LaSalle 3, Hood River Valley 0
Girls Soccer
LaSalle 1, Hood River Valley 0
LaCenter 10, Stevenson 0
Columbia 2, Fort Vancouver 2
Volleyball
Centennial def. Hood River Valley 25-21, 25-22, 26-24
Columbia def. Fort Vancouver 3-0
LaCenter def. Stevenson 3-0
Dufur def. Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 25-10, 25-9, 25-23
Columbia Christian def. Horizon Christian 25-17, 25-20, 25-7
URA Takes Two Tracks On Tony’s Property
The Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency Board asked URA Manager Jacob Anderson to develop a list of potential temporary uses for the former Tony’s Town and Country property in downtown The Dalles while they prepare a request for proposals for a permanent use. There was consensus that the property should not be left vacant while the adjacent Federal Street Plaza opens. There was also discussion about needing to see construction of Basalt Commons get underway and what the Craig Office Supply building will be used for to determine a best use for the Tony’s property. Anderson said any downtown improvements enhance the attractiveness of the Tony’s property. The discussion evolved from a report on downtown The Dalles by students in the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program, which targeted entertainment options as a void in that area.
Port of HR Reaffirms Intent To Provide Property For New Bridge
The Port of Hood River Commission reaffirmed its intent to make property it owns available for a new Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge. Port staff asked the Commission to identify the principles, conditions, limitations, or other elements it wants incorporated into a resolution to formalize its policy in the hopes that federal funding for the bridge is imminent. Port Commissioners all affirmed strong support for the replacement. Sheppard noted that they are providing the strongest possible support for the project, but the Port is not building the new bridge, and the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority is the one that will be determining the timeline for when that can occur. A draft resolution will be brought back for the Port Commission’s October meeting.