Police and fire crews in The Dalles responded to a Tuesday afternoon fire at an outdoor encampment east of Interstate 84 exit 82. The Dalles Police Department says the fire occurred at around 1:45 in the afternoon. Response was complicated by difficult road conditions and the remoteness of the encampment. No injuries were reported, with officers responding to offer services to anyone displaced by the fire.
Author: mbailey
February 20 Prep Sports Roundup
Oregon Class 1A Boys Basketball Playoffs
First Round
Dufur 74, Triangle Lake 47: Jacob Kent led the Rangers with 16 points, Olson Meanus scored 11, and Kordell White had 10. Dufur will host Crosshill Christian in the second round on Friday evening at 6 p.m.
Sherman 61, Damascus Christian 33: Jamie Phelps scored 23 points for the Huskies, while Luke Fritts added 13 and Isaiah Riggs tallied 12. Sherman entertains North Douglas in round two on Friday at 6 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran 84, Horizon Christian 40
Boys Basketball
The Dalles 73, Molalla 51: The Riverhawks advance to visit North Marion for a Class 4A play-in game later this week.
Hood River Valley 75, St. Helens 53: Sawyer Clemett scored 31 points and Matthew Fauth 19 as HRV shook off the pesky Lions in the second half.
Girls Basketball
The Dalles 61, Molalla 28: The Riverhawks will visit Stayton later this week for a Class 4A play-in game.
Hood River Valley 57, St. Helens 44
Mosbrucker Bill For Dental Records Consent Passes House
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.
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.