The White Salmon Valley School District has tabbed Trisha Eddy as its new assistant principal for kindergarten to sixth grades, and Jim Donnelly in the same role for seventh to 12th grade. Eddy has more than 20 years of experience in elementary education, and is currently the district’s K-4 math specialist, helping lead districtwide math initiatives, strengthening intervention systems, and supporting collaborative instruction. Donnelly joins White Salmon Valley Schools from the Hood River County School District, where he has served as Hood River Valley High School’s interim principal this year and was assistant principal prior to that. He began his career as an English teacher before moving into instructional coaching and school leadership. The White Salmon Valley School District Board of Directors is scheduled to take formal action to approve both appointments at its May 28 board meeting. Both Eddy and Donnelly will begin their new roles on July 1.
TD Community Clean Up Saturday
The 38th Annual Spring Community Clean Up in The Dalles will take place on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Old Wasco County maintenance yard at the corner of West 10th and Walnut. Yard debris and large items, such as furniture, may be disposed of. Yard debris will be recycled so separate it from trash. Put leaves, grass and clippings in paper bags. Bundle branches with string or twine. Citizens are encouraged to separate usable goods from trash. Gently used items may be donated to the on-site Reuse Fair. Event participants may pick up “new” treasures from the Reuse Fair area at no cost. Organizers remind people that lines for the cleanup event are long and move slowly. Please reduce traffic congestion by driving to the collection site going westbound on 10th Street and then turn right onto Walnut Street so waiting trucks can pull to the side of the road. For more information about the cleanup, go to thedalles.org.
Open Studios Tour This Weekend
The 20th Annual Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour is this weekend. Forty-one studios from Carson to The Dalles will be open to the public, featuring 50 artists. Gorge Artists board member Rob Miller says it’s a self-guided tour that is free. The studios will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A guide to where the studios are located is available online at gorgeartists.org. A published booklet with maps and artist profiles is available at local art galleries and visitors centers.
April 29 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Hood River Valley 13, Milwaukie 3: Maverick Hockett drove in three runs, while Kingston McAdam went three for three with two triples and two runs batted in for the Eagles, who won their tenth straight game. Tyson Harjo and Landon Pratt also had two RBI as HRV stays unbeaten in the Northwest Oregon Conference.
Gladstone 12, The Dalles 2: The Gladiators scored nine runs in the first three innings to cruise to the Tri-Valley Conference win. Kale Beardmore drove in both Riverhawk runs.
Heritage 14, Columbia 7
Softball
Hood River Valley 6, Milwaukie 3: Isa Rivera went three for three while Taylor Duckwall drove in two runs and Kenadie Lucas had nine strikeouts as HRV finished a two-game sweep of the Mustangs.
The Dalles 8, Gladstone 0: Siyra Faulkner pitched a no-hitter to lead the Riverhawks to their ninth straight victory. Faulkner struck out nine and walked only one. Hailey Johnston drove in three runs to lead the offense.
Track and Field
Madras topped The Dalles in a Tri-Valley Conference dual meet. Evelyn Rogers swept the throws for the Riverhawk girls, while Flamingo Duyck won two events. Ivan Martinez-Rodriguez scored the only win for The Dalles boys in the 3,000 meters.
Host Stevenson won the boys’ portion of a five-school meet. Jude Travinski of Stevenson, Simon Caldwell of Columbia, and Jayden Kusky of Trout Lake won two events each. LaCenter won the girls’ half of the meet. Mira McIlwain of Stevenson and Aurora Zoller of Trout Lake both won a pair of events.
Boys Soccer
Columbia 1, LaCenter 0:
Seton Catholic 9, Stevenson 1
Girls Lacrosse
Hood River Valley 16, Ida B. Wells 6
Skyline Health Levy Lid Lift At 53% Approval
Votes counted Tuesday night in the April 28 special election in western Klickitat County show Skyline Health’s levy lid lift request is being approved by just under 53 percent of voters. The first count has 1,534 votes approving the request by the Skyline Health Board of Commissioners to increase the hospital district’s regular property tax levy rate to 75 cents per $1000 of assessed value beginning in 2027, while 1,364 were against. Under Washington state law, public hospital districts are authorized to levy regular property taxes at a rate of up to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for purposes of operating and maintaining healthcare facilities and services. Because state law limits the amount that taxes can increase without voter approval, Skyline Health’s levy rate has declined over the years to approximately 46 cents in 2026. The district board said the levy will provide additional operating and capital funds to support the delivery of hospital and other health care services. An updated vote count is planned for Thursday.
Pool Measure On May 19 Ballot
The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District is asking voters in the May 19 election for a $40.36 million bond measure to rebuild the Hood River Valley Aquatic Center, and a five-year operations levy that would generate $1.06 million annually. The estimated property tax rate for the bond would be 64 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value, while the levy rate would be 33 cents per thousand. District Board President Christy Christopher says the bond measure is of a much narrower scope than a previous attempt in 2024, devoted to rebuilding the pool. The operations levy would provide for more maintenance of parks and trails, sustained pool hours and programs, and continuance of the district’s community recreation programs.
TD Council Changing Non-Profit Funding Program
The City of The Dalles is making changes to its local agency and non-profit funding request program, removing evaluation of individual applications from the budget process. Under the revisions, the budget committee would set the total amount of funds that would be available for the program for that fiscal year. City Manager Matthew Klebes says then they would take applications and start an evaluation process. Key components to qualify for funding include eligibility requirements focused on project-based funding within City limits, a clear distinction between eligible and ineligible expenses, defined funding range guidance and encouragement of matching funds, required attachments including a standardized project budget, and structured application sections addressing project scope, community benefit, alignment with City priorities, feasibility, and sustainability. The materials emphasize that funding is intended for specific projects that provide measurable community benefit, and not ongoing operational support.
April 28 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Hood River Valley 6, Milwaukie 3: Tyson Harjo drove in a pair of runs while Kingston McAdam and Bodie Stuben each had a pair of hits as the Eagles won their ninth straight game and stayed unbeaten in the Northwest Oregon Conference. Four Eagle pitchers combined to throw a four-hitter.
LaCenter 16, Columbia 0
Kalama 4, Stevenson 2 (8 innings): The Chinooks scored two runs in the top of the eighth to grab the win. Parker Langel had two hits and an RBI for Stevenson.
Stanfield 7, Sherman 6: Stanfield scored two in the top of the seventh inning to pull out the win after the Huskies had tallied four in the bottom of the sixth.
Softball
Hood River Valley 9, Milwaukie 3: Gracyn Hanshaw had three hits and three runs batted in, while Addi Van Metre also had three hits and stole four bases. Kenadie Lucas struck out 12 while pitching a complete game.
Columbia 19, LaCenter 14: Julia Mullinix three doubles, a home run, and drove in six runs as the Bruins won a wild Trico League game. The two teams combined for 17 runs in the seventh inning, as CHS tallied nine in the top of the frame, before the Wildcats answered with eight.
Kalama 10, Stevenson 0
Boys Tennis
Hood River Valley 4, Canby 4
Boys Golf
Hood River Valley finished fifth at a Northwest Oregon Conference Tourney at Heron Lakes. Aksel Betz finished sixth and Wyatt Bahn eighth for Hood River Valley.
Girls Golf
The Dalles topped Riverdale and Molalla at The Dalles Country Club. Riverhawk senior Elliott Winwood topped the field.
Boys Lacrosse
Lincoln 10, Hood River Valley 7
Boys Volleyball
Central Catholic def. Hood River Valley 25-17, 25-21, 25-12
DeLaSalle North Catholic def. The Dalles 3-1
City of HR Moves Forward With Revolving Loan Program For Homes
The Hood River City Council voted to move forward with a Moderate Income Revolving Loan program created by the state with the intent to expand housing for households earning up to 120% of median income. An eligible housing development can receive a grant amount up to the estimated new property taxes it will generate over a specific period. Urban Renewal Administrator Will Norris presented program rules to the Council noting they were designed to be simple and low cost to administer. Big River Community Land Trust is expected to be the first applicant, for its proposed housing development on Avalon Way.
TD Council Approves More For First Street Archaeological Monies
The Dalles City Council approved an additional amount not to exceed $146,804 for monitoring of the First Street project for archaeological discoveries. City Community Development Director Joshua Chandler says with four archaeological sites in the project area, there are very strict requirements from the state for monitoring, and to keep the project moving on schedule they needed more monitoring than an original $400,000 budget put in for it. Under Council questioning about what kind of legal risk the City would face if they didn’t do the additional monitoring, City Attorney Jonathan Kara said it would be significant. Nicholas Smits from Archaeological Investigations Northwest, which is under contract for the monitoring, says they have frequently found artifacts during excavation on the western half of the First Street project while not finding much to the east, and will continue to adjust and reduce monitoring where possible.