The Hood River County Health Department says it is investigating three cases of the rare brain disorder Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in Hood River County. CJD is a serious brain disorder caused by a misfolded protein called a prion, and there are about 500 new cases per year according to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation. Symptoms include issues with memory, walking, coordination, speech, and behavior changes. A statement from the health department says these three local cases have been found in the past eight months, and at this time, it is not known if the cases are linked. The department emphasizes the risk of CJD to the public is extremely low. It cannot be spread through the air, touch, social contact, or water. Most cases happen without a known reason. It can be inherited and run in families, and in very rare cases, it may be spread through certain medical exposures to infected brain or nervous tissue or by eating infected beef. The health department says it is closely monitoring the situation.
Author: mbailey
Army Corps Delays Campground Opening
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is delaying the opening of Plymouth and LePage campgrounds. The campgrounds, which were originally scheduled to open to the public on Tuesday, will now open May 9. The Corps of Engineers says it is experiencing challenges providing recreation activities for the public this year due to what it termed resource constraints. In a statement, the Corps says the delay allows them to ensure campground facilities comply with health and safety standards for the upcoming recreation season. Corps’ Portland District Natural Resources Management Director Melissa Rinehart says visitor well-being is their priority, so they are delaying the campground openings to ensure staff can provide safe experiences for visitors.
Motorcyclist Injured In Highway 14 Accident
A motorcyclist was transported to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver after a Friday morning accident at the intersection of Highway 14 and Cook-Underwood Road. According to a Washington State Patrol report, a 55-year-old White Salmon man was driving a motorcycle west on Highway 14 when a car driven by a 38-year-old Hood River man attempted to turn east from Cook-Underwood Road on to the highway. The motorcyclist swerved but hit the car head on, and was ejected from the bike. No one in the car was injured. The WSP says the motorcyclist is facing charges for driving with a suspended or revoked license, and having no endorsement.
Two Arrested In Death Of Hood River Man Confronting Theft Suspect
Two people have been arrested in the death of a Hood River man was killed Friday afternoon after being hit by a truck following a confrontation with someone he had caught stealing property from his vehicle. Hood River Police Chief Neal Holste says 36-year-old William Edward Hardy Jr. and 41-year-old Elizabeth June Bowman were arrested on Saturday were booked and lodged at NORCOR on charges of second degree manslaughter, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, first degree theft, and first degree robbery. Holste says 38-year-old Stephen Hayes was found laying in the roadway in the area of 5th and June at around 3:45 Friday afternoon. The Hood River Fire Department attempted life saving measures, but Hayes was pronounced deceased a short time later. Holste said upon further investigation, officers found Hayes confronted a person who was stealing property from his vehicle, and was mortally injured while the suspect vehicle attempted to flee the scene. That vehicle was described as a white truck with an extended cab. Holste says the investigation is on-going. Anyone with information is asked to call Hood River Police Detective Erin Mason at 541-387-5257.
April 10 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Philomath 6, The Dalles 4: Philomath scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to win it. The Riverhawks hurt themselves by issuing 12 walks in the game. Will Booth had a double and drove in two runs for The Dalles.
King’s Way Christian 12, Columbia 1
LaCenter 24, Stevenson 0
Softball
Hood River Valley 5, The Dalles 3: Grace Rowan went four for four with a home run and two doubles, and drove in three runs, and struck out eight in the circle to lead the Eagles to their fourth win in a row.
Columbia 12, King’s Way Christian 2: Julia Mullinix went three for three and scored three times as the Bruins scored in all five innings.
Boys Soccer
LaCenter 1, Columbia 1
Seton Catholic 1, Stevenson 0
Superintendent Advises HR School Board Of Recommended Reductions
The Hood River County School Board heard from Superintendent Bill Newton personnel reductions planned as the district seeks to balance its budget for the 2025-26 school year in the face of declining enrollment and increasing costs. Those cuts include the full time equivalent of six-and-a-half elementary school teaching positions, two-and-a-half at middle schools, and just over four teaching positions at Hood River Valley High School. Cuts are also proposed to instructional coaches and classified positions, and a reduction of two-and-a-third district-wide positions plus an executive director already announced. Newton told the board he was particularly disappointed with reducing the instructional coach positions. Newton says the reduction in force process is underway, with notifications to be done next week. The district’s budget committee will begin to meet later this month.
April 9 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Hood River Valley 9, Corvallis 0: Trevor Jacobs and Nick Tuttle drove in two runs apiece as the Eagles used a seven-run sixth inning to blow the game open. Bodie Stuben pitched four-hit scoreless ball over six innings while Jacobs finished the shutout in the seventh.
Umatilla 10, Sherman 3: The Vikings scored eight runs in the last two innings to pull out the win. Leven Whitbeck and Drake Dark had two hits apiece for the Huskies.
Goldendale 14, Riverside Christian 2: Jackson Gamble, Josh Boe, and Wyatt Bolton drove in two runs each for the Timberwolves.
Softball
Hood River Valley 17, Corvallis 12: The Eagles scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to come from behind to win. Kenadie Lucas went five for five with two doubles, while Isa Rivera drove in four runs.
Columbia 13, King’s Way Christian 12: Joella Posini’s two-run triple in the bottom of the fifth inning scored the game-winning runs for the Bruins.
Track & Field
Wyatt Droege won three events and Omar Sedano and Jacob Smith won two each as Hood River Valley’s boys won a Northwest Oregon Conference dual meet at Putnam. Putnam won the girls’ matchup, as Georgiana Williams and Savina Davis each won two events for HRV.
Crook County came out on top in both the boys and girls portions of a three-school Tri-Valley Conference meet at Sid White Field. Willow Ziegenhagen had two wins for the Riverhawk girls, while six different athletes earned first place finishes for The Dalles’ boys.
Columbia’s girls were second to Seton Catholic in a four-school Trico League meet at LaCenter. Sara Miller won three events for the Bruins. The CHS boys finished fourth in their half of the meet.
Boys Tennis
The Dalles 7, Estacada 1
Grant 8, Hood River Valley 0
Girls Tennis
Grant 4, Hood River Valley 4
Williams Gives HR County Commission Budget Message
The Hood River County Commission held a worksession on Tuesday to discuss budget philosophy as they head into planning for fiscal year 2025-26 and beyond. In her budget message, County Administrator Allison Williams says there is a lot of long-term planning that needs to be done. Williams says this year’s budget will be about maintaining what the County has. She says the wildcard in this year’s fiscal planning is what is happening at the federal level, noting the County started a number of years ago to access as many grant resources as possible. Another issue: increases in Public Employees Retirement System costs and other rising costs of doing business.
Justesen Seeks To Restart Wolf Compensation Committee
Wasco County Commissioner Jeff Justesen says he’s trying to restart a wolf compensation committee. There had been a panel ten years ago that had some momentum, but it then dropped off. Justesen says it is time to bring it back with increased wolf activity in the southern portion of the County. He says they would work closely with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to show the need for the group. Justesen says the state can be reluctant to give specifics on where wolves are roaming. But he points out sightings have occurred not just in the remote southern parts of the County, but in the Dufur and Maupin areas as well.
April 8 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Pendleton 5, The Dalles 0: Evan Lehnert twirled a three-hit shutout for the Buckaroos, striking out nine.
King’s Way Christian 18, Columbia 8: A nine-run second inning for the Knights was the difference. Wyatt Stelma had three hits and three runs batted in to pace the Bruins offense.
LaCenter 30, Stevenson 0
Softball
Pendleton 7, The Dalles 2: The Buckaroos got off to a quick lead and never trailed. Maddie Brock hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning for the Riverhawks.
Track and Field
Stevenson’s girls topped Fort Vancouver and King’s Way Christian in a Trico League meet. Olivia Fauth won two events for the Bulldogs. The Stevenson boys were second to King’s Way. Matthew Troller had a first and a second for the Bulldogs.
Boys Volleyball
Parkrose def. Hood River Valley 25-17, 25-13, 25-15