The Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks did receive $6 million in funding in the Oregon Legislature’s end-of-session omnibus bill location to support engineering studies focused on seismic resilience and bridge preservation to safeguard the nearly 100-year-old bridge. With this funding, the Port of Cascade Locks will be able to procure engineering and other services such as site and soil assessments to analyze the bridge’s structural integrity to identify seismic vulnerabilities and inform targeted preservation efforts. Additionally, the studies will explore the feasibility of adding a pedestrian, bike, and equestrian lane separate from the flow of vehicle traffic to enhance safety for users, particularly those traversing the iconic Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. The Port plans to seek matching funds in next year’s legislative session in Washington. After narrowly missing out on funding during the 2023 session, the Port worked closely with leadership from the Joint Transportation Committee to present another funding request during the 2024 short session.
Author: mbailey
Visit Hood River Grant Program Begins
Applications are now being accepted for Visit Hood River’s 2024 Community Investment Matching Grant Program, which is designed to support businesses and community economic vitality in the greater Hood River area. Applications will be accepted through April 5. The VHR Community Grant Program occurs annually. In 2024, the program will award as much as $50,000, in total for all projects awarded. Each project requires its own application, and applicants must demonstrate the ability to meet the matching funding requirements. The VHR Community Investment Matching Grant Program application and guidelines are available on the Visit Hood River website in English and Spanish.
Bridge Replacement Project Gets $8 Million In Congressional Appropriations
The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement Project will receive an additional $8 million in federal funding after Congress approved two separate requests late last week. This latest round of funding comes after the project was awarded a $200-million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The project now has $327 million in committed funds, about 63% of the estimated total project cost of $520 million. The $8 million approved by Congress last week came from two $4 million appropriation requests submitted last spring—one from Washington and one from Oregon. Klickitat County sponsored the Washington request, and that $4 million will support preliminary engineering and design of the new bridge, including seismic resiliency and accommodations for cyclists and pedestrians. The Oregon request was sponsored by the Port of Hood River. That funding will be set aside to acquire any land required to complete the project, and to fulfill commitments to local tribes as identified in the federal approval process.
March 14 Prep Sports Roundup
Softball
The Dalles 8, Scappoose 2: The Riverhawks hit three home runs in winning their season opener. Keilani Crichton-Tunai, Jeliane Stewart, Madison Brock hit the home runs for the defending state 4A champions.
Boys Soccer
Graham-Kapowsin 4, Columbia 2
Stevenson 2, Winlock 0
March 13 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Scappoose 9, Hood River Valley 1: Four Scappoose pitchers combined to no-hit HRV in the season opener.
North Marion 5, The Dalles 4: The Huskies scored the winning run on a pair of errors in the bottom of the seventh inning. Avery Schwartz drove in two runs while striking out ten on the mound for the Riverhawks.
Columbia splits with Corbett, losing game 1 10-0 but winning game 2 5-3.
Softball
Hood River Valley 5, Scappoose 4: Addi Van Metre’s two-run double in the sixth inning was the key hit as the Eagles won their season opener.
Crowded Commission Race Highlights Wasco County Ballot
It’s going to be a crowded field seeking Position 2 on the Wasco County Commission during the May primary election. Five candidates had filed for the seat as the deadline for declaring candidacy passed on Tuesday. Two are currently on The Dalles City Council: Dan Richardson and Darcy Long. The other three candidates are Jeff Justesen, Brian Lauterbach, and John McElheran. Incumbent Steve Kramer had earlier announced he was not seeking re-election. There will be also be a contested race for Wasco County District Attorney, with Special Deputy District Attorney Kara Davis opposed by Travis Marston, an attorney from Ashwood in Jefferson County. Other Wasco County offices on the ballot feature only one candidate, including Lane Magill to remain as Sheriff, Jill Amery as Assessor, and Elijah Preston as Treasurer, and Chrissy Zaugg is the only candidate for Clerk.
Only One Contested Ballot In Hood River County
There will be only one contested office in Hood River County during the May primary election. That will be for the District 4 seat on the County Commission, with Brian Merz, Chad Muenzer, and Albert Nance the three candidates. Les Perkins has resigned that position after slightly over 23 years to take a spot on the Oregon Public Utility Commission, and the rest of the Commission will be appointing a replacement to serve out the rest of Perkins’ term. County Commission Chair Jennifer Euwer and District 2 Commissioner Arthur Babitz are unopposed. Matt English is unopposed to remain as Sheriff, and current Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis is the only candidate on the ballot to succeed current D.A. Carrie Rasmussen, who decided not to seek re-election.
Lengthy List Of Congressional Options On Ballot
The line to succeed retiring Oregon 3rd District Congressman Earl Blumenauer is long, with seven Democrats and three Republicans running in the primary. The Democrats are Susheela Jayapal, Maxine Dexter, Ricardo Barajas, Nolan Bylenga, Michael Jonas, Eddy Morales, and Rachel Lydia Rand. The GOP candidates include Joanna Harbour, Gary Dye, and Teresa Orwig. Incumbent 2nd District Congressman Cliff Bentz is opposed in the Republican primary by Jason Beebe, while Dan Ruby and Steve William Laible are vying for the Democratic nomination. In area legislative races, incumbent Jeff Helfrich is unopposed for the Republican nomination for Oregon House District 52, while Nick Walden Poublon is the only filed Democrat on the ballot. In District 57, incumbent Republican Greg Smith is being challenged in the primary by Raymond Akers, with no Democrat filing for the seat. Senate District 29 sees four Republicans looking to replace the retiring Bill Hansell. They are Jim Doherty, Dave Drotzmann, Andy Huwe, and Todd Nash. There is no Democratic candidate.
Kramer On Wildfire Hazard Map Rules Committee
Wasco County Commissioner Steve Kramer is serving on a rule-making committee for the Oregon Wildfire Hazard Map. Kramer says the group held its first meeting last week, but it has a goal of finishing up by mid-April. This is a re-start of a plan that met with public pushback a couple of years ago. Kramer says once the rulemaking group finishes its work, there will be more opportunities for public feedback. Kramer did say one of the challenges for the committee is considering how agricultural and irrigated lands get classified on the map.
Sturgeon Retention Ends In John Day Pool
Thursday will be the last day to retain sturgeon in the John Day Pool of the mainstem Columbia River, from John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam and adjacent tributaries. Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon made the decision Wednesday after determining that harvest guidelines in this reach will be met soon. The projected kept catch in John Day Pool through March 14 is 99 fish, which is 94 percent of the guideline. Sturgeon anglers should also be aware that a retention season is not planned this year in the lower river below Bonneville Dam, as surveys found low numbers of legal-size fish. Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing remains open in the mainstem, except all angling for sturgeon is prohibited from May 1 to August 31 within sanctuary areas below each of the dam tailraces.