It will take another meeting for Hood River County’s Budget Committee to approve a financial plan for the 2026-27 fiscal year. County Administrator Allison Williams presented just over $1 million in budget adjustments requested by the panel after there were objections to transferring $475,000 from the timber interest fund into the general fund in an attempt to the balance the budget. Williams’ adjustments included continuing to leave currently open positons vacant for five months, but the committee increased that to twelve for a total savings of $750,000. But the Committee also discussed about whether staff should have flexibility to change what positons to leave vacant as others come open. Commission Chair Jennifer Euwer noted that kind of decision is what managers are hired to do. The Committee asked staff to prepare a budget document that accounts for leaving the open positions vacant for twelve months, and scheduled another meeting for next Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. in the Hood River County Administration Building.
Old Dufur Road Repave Starts Monday
The Dalles Public Works on Monday will repave a section of Old Dufur Road impacted by recent new utility service installation projects. A partial road closure will remain in place during work hours Monday through Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. A traffic message board will be in place at the intersection of E 10th St. and Old Dufur Road that says “1 LANE ROAD AHEAD, UP TO 20 MINUTE WAIT”. Flaggers will direct vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians safely through the work zone as equipment use allows. The traveling public is advised to use alternate routes when possible. The road will reopen at the end of each working day. No parking will be allowed within the project areas to allow room for large equipment to safely work.
May 14 Prep Sports Roundup
Oregon Girls Lacrosse Association Quarterfinal
Hood River Valley 11, Oregon Episcopal 10: The Eagles nipped OES to move into a semifinal matchup with top-seed Jesuit on Monday at 8 p.m. at Lakeridge High School. It was the second time in six day for HRV to visit Oregon Episcopal and come away with a one-goal victory.
Southwest Washington Class 1A Boys Soccer Tournament Semifinal
Raymond-South Bend 1, Columbia 0: The Bruins will get a second chance at earning a state tournament bid when they play Elma on Saturday at noon in Tenino.
Boys Volleyball
LaSalle def. Hood River Valley 3-0
Central Christian def. The Dalles 25-21, 25-11, 25-15
Track and Field
Lyle-Wishram’s Ezekiel Marble won both boys’ hurdles races and South Wasco’s Bailey Udey won the girls’ high jump and long jump at the Rocket Invitational in Pilot Rock. South Wasco’s Carson Moore won the boys’ javelin.
Girls Tennis
The Dalles’ Liz Murillo and Sherman’s Emma Goodenough each won their first two matches to advance to the singles quarterfinals at the Class 4A Special District 4 tournament in Hermiston. Sherman’s Leah Goodenough and Vivian Rolfe also went 2-0 on the first day to reach the quarters in doubles.
Boys Tennis
Dante Kim of The Dalles won two matches to reach the final eight in singles at the district tourney in Hermiston. Four Riverhawk doubles teams had reached the second round when play ended Thursday.
Veterans Stand Down This Saturday
The Wasco County Veterans Service Office will hold its second annual Veterans Stand Down Saturday at Lewis and Clark Festival Park in The Dalles. It’s an effort to connect Veterans and their families with all kinds of resources they are eligible for, with information on medical, dental, housing, employment, education, and other services they qualify for. Wasco County Veteran Services Officer Chelsea Perritt says often, Veterans don’t realize what they are eligible for, particularly those who are younger than 55 who don’t take advantage of them. The Veterans Stand Down is open to all Veterans and families, regardless of age or where they live. It will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at Lewis and Clark Festival Park in The Dalles.
City of HR Budget Committee Approves 26-27 Fiscal Plan
Hood River’s municipal budget committee approved the City budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. They approved with it very few changes from the document developed by staff, but much of the discussion revolved around the future. The budget does begin to see a lowering of reserves, and those could run out in five years if it continues. Committee member and City Councilor Anna Cavaleri pointed out the City’s mission is to provide essential services at the lowest possible cost to enhance the quality of life, and that will lead to hard budget decisions in the future. The budget now goes to the City Council for approval at a meeting in June.
Federal Grant For Community Action In Doubt
The future of a long-running federal grant that plays an important role in Mid-Columbia Community Action’s ability to fund many programs is in doubt. MCCAC Executive Director Leslie Naramore says the Community Service Block Grant that Community Action Agencies around the country receive. MCCAC received about $380,000 in the current biennium from the grant, which Naramore points out isn’t a large part of its budget, but the ability to choose how to use it is vital. There are two other Community Action agencies in the Columbia Gorge that receive the grant: Washington Gorge Action Programs and the Oregon Human Development Corporation.
Fishery Manages Add Days To Spring Chinook Season
Salmon anglers are getting five more days of spring chinook fishing in the Columbia River upriver from Bonneville Dam, and six more in the lower Columbia River. Oregon and Washington managers made the move after receiving a spring run update this week. From the dam upriver to the Washington/Oregon state line, fishing will reopen Friday through Sunday this weekend and again Saturday and Sunday of next weekend. The lower river will be open to spring chinook fishing Friday through Sunday of this weekend and the Saturday through Monday on Memorial Day weekend. Biologists will now update the run regularly. While lower river anglers have only caught approximately two-thirds of their allocation, managers are proceeding cautiously as the lower river opens Saturday to hatchery summer steelhead. All previous regulations remain in effect, with one adult hatchery Chinook salmon allowed daily.
May 13 Prep Sports Roundup
Tennis
Hood River Valley’s Kaylen Mitchell won the Northwest Oregon Conference girls’ singles championship. Mitchell completed a five match run through the bracket with two wins on Wednesday, first defeating Wilsonville’s Teagen Hamilton 6-3, 6-0 in the semifinal, and following up with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Trina Dinh of Parkrose in the final. Mitchell moves on to the state Class 5A tournament next weekend.
Two HRV doubles teams will join Mitchell at state. Charlotte Fuller and Anna Dalbey finished third in girls’ doubles, bouncing back from a 6-1, 6-1 loss to top seeds Kaitlin Carter and Isabella Montecucco of LaSalle by defeating Noemie Anderson and Suzy Valdiva of LaSalle 5-7, 6-1, 6-4. Kane and Kash Wagner advance to state in boys’ doubles, finishing fourth after falling to Lucas and Nolan Wong of LaSalle 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinal and Connor Richmond and Nafay Faisel of Wilsonville 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 in the third place match.
Baseball
Wilsonville 4, Hood River Valley 2: The Wildcats scored two runs in the second and fourth innings to complete a series sweep and move into first place in the Northwest Oregon Conference. Tyson Harjo and Maverick Hockett drove in the runs for HRV.
Softball
Wilsonville 7, Hood River Valley 0: Addi Smith pitched a one-hitter for the Wildcats, striking out 14 as Wilsonville blew the game open with a four-run fourth inning.
Lockdown At White Salmon Campus Ends
A lockdown Wednesday morning at the campus in White Salmon that includes Columbia High School, Henkle Middle School, and Stevenson Intermediate School was lifted at 11:30. White Salmon Valley School District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says the lockdown ended in consultation with law enforcement, which will maintain a visible presence on campus through the remainder of the school day. Polkinghorn says Klickitat County Dispatch received a report of a threat of harm directed toward students at the campus at approximately 9:13 this morning. He says school administration quickly implemented district safety procedures and initiated the “Lock Down” at the campus. Law enforcement arrived within minutes and worked with school administration to determine the credibility of the threat.
TD Budget Receives Committee Approval
The City of The Dalles Budget Committee unanimously approved a budget for 2026-27. There were not a large amount of changes from the document that was presented by City staff. Committee member and City Councilor Tim McGlothlin said he was pleased with the process that resulted in the fiscal plan being approved. Fellow committee member and Councilor Ben Wring said he appreciated learning more about the City’s water infrastructure needs, and it’s important to highlight it and get it right. The budget does go to the City Council for final approval at a meeting in June.