A bill sponsored by Goldendale Representative Gina Mosbrucker that would develop a consent process for people’s dental records to be used if they become missing cleared the Washington State House with unanimous support recently and now awaits a Senate hearing. The bill would require the Washington State Patrol and the Dental Quality Assurance Commission to develop a process for dentists to submit information indicating that a patient has consented to the release of their dental records in the event the patient becomes the subject of a missing person investigation. The bill also authorizes the investigating agency for a missing person case to contact the missing person’s dentist if that person already consented to the release of their dental records. The measure passed the House 96-0. It now awaits a hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee.
Author: mbailey
Jewett Boulevard Repaving Planning Expected This Year
This year figures to be a big planning year for a long-awaited repaving on Jewett Boulevard through White Salmon. Mayor Marla Keethler says the Washington State Department of Transportation project was supposed to start in 2020 but got pushed back. She says the hope this year is that the City will integrate the public feedback it has gathered on what citizens want to see in the project, and provide a jumpstart for the state’s outreach work. Keethler hopes the state can do the project in 2026.
HRVHS Grad Rate Tops 90% Again
Oregon Department of Education graduation rates for the 2022-23 school year show that for the fourth consecutive year, the four-year graduation rate of Hood River Valley High School students was more than 90 percent. Last spring, 90.5 percent of HRVHS students graduated on time compared to 81.3 percent of all Oregon students. It continued a ten-year trend of increasing graduation rates for the school. Hood River County School District interim superintendent Bill Newton says it speaks to the hard work done by teachers, staff, and families in the district, but they are also always looking to increase the number by paying close attention to ninth grade success and provide interventions when necessary. Newton adds they also have earlier points in elementary and middle school where they do the same thing to provide assistance to students who are struggling.
Water Main Work Begins Between 2nd and 3rd in The Dalles
The Dalles Public Works will begin work Wednesday on replacement and upgrade of a water main in the alley between 2nd and 3rd Streets as well as Union and Liberty Streets. During the first phase of work Wednesday and Thursday, crews will install a tap for the new water main on Union St. from 2nd St. to 3rd St. Full street and alley closures will remain in place during work hours. Motor vehicles and bicyclists will be detoured to adjacent side streets. Pedestrian and sidewalk access will remain open through the duration of this work. Phase 2 will start this coming Monday, as the water main in the alley between 2nd St. and 3rd St. as well as Union St. and Liberty St will be replaced. Work is expected to be completed by March 8. A full alley closure will remain in place until work is completed. Motor vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians will be detoured to adjacent side streets. Work hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on each scheduled work day. If you have questions, please contact The Dalles Public Works at (541) 296-5401.
Motorist Arrested After Clocking 136 MPH On I-84
A motorist was arrested Saturday night after being clocked traveling 136 miles per hour on westbound Interstate 84 in Sherman and Wasco counties. The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office says one of its deputies saw the black BMW at milepost 109, and another deputy was passed near milepost 101. The vehicle tried to elude deputies by accelerating and turning off all of its lights. The Oregon State Police, The Dalles Police, and Wasco County Sheriff’s Office assisted in stopping the vehicle by deploying a spike strip, bringing the car to halt near milepost 79 west of The Dalles. The driver was arrested for Attempting to Elude and Reckless Driving. One of the passengers was also arrested for Carrying Concealed Weapons.
Weather Extends Nobi’s Corner Closure One Week
Work to relocate a natural gas line on Tucker Road at Nobi’s Corner has been extended by a week due to the recent inclement weather. NW Natural says Tucker Road will now be closed at that location on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through March 1, except for emergency vehicles, school buses, local residents and businesses. Traffic will detour at Barker Road for eastbound traffic on Tucker Road, and at Guignard Road for southbound traffic on Tucker Road. A detour is also available at Indian Creek Road for northbound Tucker Road and Brookside Drive for southbound Tucker Road traffic. The gas line relocation is to accommodate a planned Oregon Department of Transportation project this summer.
Resolution Center Backers Seek State Funding
Backers of the Columbia Gorge Resolution Center are seeking $36 million from the Oregon Legislature to construct a facility in The Dalles for mental health and drug and alcohol addiction treatment for Wasco, Hood River, and Sherman counties. Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill says the facility would meet Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s priorities for dealing with mental health issues. The project has $4.6 million in lottery funds and $9.3 million from the Oregon Health Authority, and would provide a 16-bed secure residential treatment facility, a 16-bed long-term treatment facility, and a 16-bed in-patient drug and alcohol treatment facility. Mid-Columbia Center for Living would be the service provider for the Resolution Center, after the original provider backed out last year. It would be located on Wasco County-owned property at 10th and Walnut.
Cherry Fest Two Months Away
We are two months from the Northwest Cherry Festival, and The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce is starting to ramp up for it. Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says they are plenty of opportunities to take part, with sponsors and vendors still being sought. Farquharson says the Cherry Festival poster will be revealed at the Chamber’s annual awards banquet on February 29. The Cherry Festival is scheduled for April 19-21. Information is available at thedalleschamber.com.
Port of HR Considering Lot 1 Direction
The Port of Hood River continues to consider how to proceed with Lot 1, the last remaining major parcel on the waterfront. The Port has been looking at how to proceed with infrastructure needs. Port Commissioner Kristi Chapman says what the lot could be used for remains an open question. Lot 1 represents the last major property in Hood River’s waterfront available for development. But how to pay for what needs to be done to prepare Lot 1 for any kind of use is unknown.
February 16-17 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Boys Wrestling
Hood River Valley qualified seven wrestlers for next week’s Oregon Class 5A tournament in Portland after finishing fourth in the Northwest Oregon Conference Championships at Wilsonville. Conner Farlow had the top HRV finish, taking second at 120 pounds. Treshaun Douglass at 120, Jesus Ortega-Lara at 126, and Leyton Adams at 132 grabbed third place finishes, while Froylan Mendez at 144, Samuel Blosser at 157, and Reese Reierson at 190 advanced with fourth place finishes.
Goldendale finished third in Class B at Washington’s Mat Classic in Tacoma, with Matthew Gray leading the way by winning the 150 pound title. Gray squeezed by Maddex Strobel of Liberty in the final. Brock Armstrong was second at 126 pounds, Rydell Myers third at 120, and Storey Woodbury for fourth at 144.
Columbia’s Sawyer Muehlbauer was second at 190 pounds in the Class 1A portion of the Mat Classic. Muehlbauer won his first three matches before losing to Aiden Ford of Zillah by fall at 3:47 of the final.
Swimming
Hood River Valley’s Caiden Titus finished third in the boys’ 100 yard freestyle and sixth in the 200 free at the Oregon Class 5A Championships at Tualatin Hills.
The HRV girls’ 200 yard individual medley relay team earned a third place finish, while both the boys and girls 200 freestyle relays finished fifth.
Basketball
Big Sky League Finals at Kurtz Gym, The Dalles
Boys Championship: Dufur 49, Sherman 41: The Rangers host Triangle Lake in the first round of the Oregon Class 1A playoffs on Tuesday, while Sherman will entertain Damascus Christian.
Boys Third Place: Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 38, Condon 36
Girls Champiohship: South Wasco 48, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 36: The Redsides host Crosshill Christian in an Oregon Class 1A first round playoff game on Wednesday.
Girls Third Place: Trout Lake 60, Ione-Arlington 18: The Mustangs visit Mohawk in the first round of the 1A playoffs on Wednesday.
Boys Basketball
The Dalles 50, Gladstone 40
Girls Basketball
The Dalles 61, Gladstone 40