The Mid-Columbia Association of Realtors will host its Gorge Homebuyer Fair for the second year in a row next week at the Hood River Armory. Alejandra Calderon of Jen Dillard Real Estate says the event is designed to encourage homeownership across the Gorge region by connecting residents with education, resources, and local experts. All educational materials will be available in both Spanish and English. The event is free and open to the public. It will take place September 25, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hood River Armory.
Author: mbailey
Port of HR Hears “State Of The Bridge” Report
Port of Hood River Commissioners heard a “State of the Bridge” report from engineering consultants and Port staff to get an update on the health of the span between Hood River and White Salmon. The Oregon Department of Transportation coordinates a bridge inspection every two years, and in 2024 the rating for the condition of the deck and superstructure actually went up to a 6 on a scale up to ten, but the substructure beneath the water was down to a 4. Mikel Mitchell of HPR Engineering said one of the key things they are monitoring is the condition of the coating on the steel. He says it is not affecting the capacity of the bridge, but it is something they need to stay ahead of. Mitchell noted maintenance of the bridge steel and coatings is planned for 2026. The Port is seeking to keep the current bridge in good repair until a new crossing is constructed.
Wasco County Opts-In To Opioid Settlement
Wasco County Commissioners opted in to another opioid settlement at their meeting on Wednesday. County Counsel Kristen Campbell told Commissioners the County had earlier opted in to the Purdue Pharma and Sackler settlement, and this one will involve a wider range of other manufacturers and distributors, but with the same terms. The amount of money Wasco County will receive is still unknown. Campbell noted uses for that funding are fairly broad under the general definition developed for the settlement.
September 16 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Volleyball
Putnam def. Hood River Valley 25-20, 25-22, 25-16
Pendleton def. The Dalles 26-24, 25-18, 17-25, 25-21
Seton Catholic def. Columbia 3-1
Castle Rock def. Stevenson 3-2
Dufur def. Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 25-10, 25-15, 25-18
Ione-Arlington def. Horizon Christian 25-8, 25-13, 25-6
Sherman def. Trout Lake-Glenwood 25-19, 26-24, 25-15
Lyle-Wishram def. Condon 27-25, 25-17, 25-15
Girls Soccer
Hood River Valley 3, Gresham 2
Seton Catholic 9, Columbia 2
Castle Rock 2, Stevenson 0
Catlin Gabel 10, Trout Lake-Horizon Christian 2
Boys Water Polo
Barlow 20, Hood River Valley 7
Girls Water Polo
Barlow 23, Hood River Valley 7
Information On Poachers Sought
The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying individuals caught on camera committing criminal trespass and unlawfully taking an elk near Antelope. The OSP says that on September 6 at 4:42 in the morning, before legal hunting hours, a photo of a cow elk was taken by a trail camera on private property. Three minutes later, two unknown individuals were captured on camera standing over the carcass of the dead elk. The individuals entered the private property in a vehicle, gutted the elk, and left. The suspect vehicle is believed to be a light-colored 2001–2004 Nissan Frontier with an older canopy and a roof rack. Information leading to the identification and citation, or arrest, of these individuals could yield a reward of $1,000 or four preference points. Anyone with information about the identity of the individuals or the location of the vehicle is asked to submit tips to TIP@osp.oregon.gov, or contact OSP’s Northern Command Center at 800-442-0776 or by calling *OSP (*677) on a mobile device. Please reference Oregon State Police case number SP25-396292.
Air Conditioning Need Observed By HR School Facility Panel
The Hood River County School District’s long-range planning committee is continuing to meet and tour facilities to develop a priority list of capital projects. Superintendent Bill Newton says hot temperatures have led to one topic coming up: the lack of air conditioning in some older buildings. Newton adds they know the shoulder months of June and September are getting warmer, and with summer programs in July and August they need to address the air conditioning in some of their buildings. Newton expects a report from the committee will be ready sometime in the first half of the next year, and then there will be a funding conversation and consideration of whether or not to go out for the bond measure.
Two Area Teachers Receive Regional Honors
Two Mid-Columbia area teachers are among Oregon’s sixteen 2025-26 Regional Teachers of the Year. Dufur School social studies teacher Sarah Anderson and Amy Huffman, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Little Explorers Preschool in Wasco, are receiving the honor given out by the Oregon Department of Education in partnership with the Oregon Lottery. Anderson was noted for bringing creativity and dedication to her classroom, thinking outside the box to make learning engaging, relevant, and meaningful to students. Huffman has spent her career teaching elementary grades in the Sherman and Dufur school districts, and this year took on teaching preschool at a newly opened site in Wasco. Each Regional Teacher of the Year wins a $1,000 cash prize and is in the running for Oregon’s 2025-26 Oregon Teacher of the Year – to be announced in October.
Books For Kids In Fundraising Drive
Books For Kids Columbia Gorge is in the midst of its annual fall fundraising campaign to raise $15,000 to distribute books to children from birth to 18 in Wasco, Hood River, Skamania, and Klickitat counties. The organization looks to increase education equity by providing new, high-quality books to kids in the Columbia Gorge Region who need them most. Books for Kids’ Nancy Johansen Paul says getting books into children’s hands is vital for helping them get a good start on learning. To donate, go online to booksforkidscg.org. You can direct your donation to a specific county.
September 15 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Girls Soccer
The Dalles 8, St. Helens 0: The Riverhawks stay unbeaten and unscored upon in four matches.
Volleyball
Open Door Christian def. Trout Lake-Glenwood 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 14-25, 15-6
Bonham Resigns From State Senate
Oregon 26th District State Senator and Senate Minority Leader Daniel Bonham of The Dalles stepped down from his leadership post and announced plans to resign from the Senate. Bonham’s decision renewed speculation about his future plans, which he did not elaborate on in a statement Monday, welcoming the new leadership and subsequently announcing his resignation effective Oct. 5. The Oregon Capital Chronicle reports many in the Republican caucus have known for around a week that Bonham would not run for his leadership position again. The Capital Chronice reported that on the right-leaning political commentary podcast Crosstabs last week, co-host Bryan Iverson, a Senate staffer and husband of Prineville Republican Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson said said he was hearing that Bonham “got a job in the Trump administration” to work for U.S Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a former Oregon congressmember appointed by President Donald Trump after losing her reelection bid to Democrat Janelle Bynum, but there has been no official confirmation of that. Bonham’s term doesn’t end until January 2027, so commissioners from Hood River, Wasco, Clackamas and Multnomah counties will have to appoint a replacement from a list compiled by local Republican officials. Bonham was barred from running for reelection to the Senate in 2026 because he participated in a six-week quorum-denying walkout in 2023 to protest Democratic bills on guns, abortion and gender-affirming care.