The Washington State Patrol is seeking witnesses or information to a dangerous incident that occurred Thursday morning on Highway 14 near milepost 62 in the Bingen area. The WSP says the Washington State Department of Transportation was conducting roadway maintenance that required a lane closure in the area just after 9 a.m. Workers were flagging alternating traffic into one lane when a vehicle entered the construction zone, disregarding the closure. The vehicle, a black truck cab with an open bed trailer, failed to stop for flagging crews and traveled the wrong way in the lane closure, almost going head-on with westbound traffic. The vehicle was seen by troopers going at a high-rate of speed through the work zone, but were unable to stop the vehicle due to the safety of roadway workers and other motorists. Troopers were able to follow the vehicle once through the construction zone south across the Interstate Bridge into Oregon. The vehicle made additional dangerous movements by traveling across the two lane bridge the wrong way, forcing northbound traffic on the bridge to make aggressive movements to avoid head-on collisions. Troopers would like to speak to the driver or owner of the vehicle about the dangerous incident, and are seeking witnesses who were traveling through the area, or have dash-cam video of the incidents, between 9:10 AM and 9:30 AM. If you have information that can assist troopers in contacting the driver or owner of the pictured vehicle, please call 360-903-3965.
Author: mbailey
May 4 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Gladstone 6, The Dalles 3: The Gladiators scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to move two games in front of the Riverhawks in the Tri-Valley Conference standings.
Softball
The Dalles 13, Gladstone 0: Madelynn Sagapolutele homered twice and drove in five runs as the Riverhawks close in on the Tri-Valley Conference championship. Zoe Lebreton and Despina Seufalemua also homered for The Dalles.
Columbia 19, Mountain View 0: The Bruins won their fifteenth straight game in the non-league contest. Ella Reed went 4 for 4 with four RBI, and Halle Kock drove in five runs on three hits.
Track and Field
Hood River Valley’s boys were first while the girls were second in a three-school meet with LaSalle and Parkrose at Henderson Stadium. The Eagle boys had six different first place finishers. Simone Tillman and Ximena Santillan each had two wins for the HRV girls.
Boys Soccer
Columbia 2, Winlock 0
Seton Catholic 10, Stevenson 0
The Dalles Community Cleanup Saturday
The 35th annual The Dalles Community Cleanup is set for Saturday. The old Wasco County maintenance yard on the corner of West 10th and Webber will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for The Dalles residents to dispose of yard debris and large items. Cindy Keever of The Dalles Public Works Department says the Reuse Fair will be back at the site. Canned food donations will be accepted at the Cleanup for local food banks. For complete details, go to thedalles.org or the City Hall Facebook page.
NW Natural Moves Gas Lines For Downtown HR Signal Light
NW Natural has begun to move gas lines in preparation for installation of a signal light on 2nd and Oak in downtown Hood River. The City of Hood River says this pre-construction phase is expected to take around two weeks, with work limited to daylight hours on weekdays only. Actual construction of the signal light will not begin until after Labor Day. The City says it will work with NW Natural to minimize parking and traffic impacts, but some parking loss, flaggers, and traffic delays should be expected.
Waters Bill For Short-Term Rental Complimentary Wine Is Signed
It will soon be legal for short-term rental operators in Washington to offer their guests complimentary wine upon arrival, after the governor signed a bipartisan bill from 17th District Rep. Kevin Waters. House Bill 1731 allows short-term rental operators, like those who rent properties through Airbnb, to acquire permits to provide one complimentary bottle of wine to rental guests who are at least 21 years old, under certain conditions. The legislation, which creates an annual $75 permit issued by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, will help the hospitality industry by paving the way for short-term renters to build positive relationships with their guests through a friendly gesture. Currently, bed-and-breakfast facilities in Washington are allowed to provide guests with complimentary wine via a separate $75 permit from the state liquor board. House Bill 1731 gives this same privilege to short-term rental operators. There will be around 300 operators eligible for the permit each year.
MCSC Seeks Medical Equipment For Loan Closet
Mid-Columbia Senior Center is looking for Medical Equipment donations for our Medical Loan Closet. The Center says it is desperately in need of rollators (with working brakes), wheelchairs, transfer chairs, and any other equipment that you might have on hand. MCSC’s medical equipment loan closet is available to everyone, with a suggested donation of $10.00. Call Mid-Columbia Senior Center at 541-296-4788 or visit at 1119 West 9th in The Dalles.
May 3 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
The Dalles 2, Madras 1: Cooper Klindt’s two-out run scoring single in the bottom of the seventh inning won it for the Riverhawks, pulling them within a game of Gladstone atop the Tri-Valley Conference standings heading into a road matchup with the Gladiators today. Riley Brock struck out 13 in a complete game effort.
Hood River Valley 4, LaSalle 1: Jordan Webber struck out nine over six innings, while Jakob von Lubken had a pair of run-scoring doubles to lead the Eagles to a second straight win over the Falcons, strengthening their hold on a playoff spot in the Northwest Oregon Conference.
Softball
Milwaukie 5, Hood River Valley 4, 8 innings: The Eagles came back from a four-run deficit to force extra innings, but the Mustangs grabbed the victory that prevented HRV to jump into the top four in the Northwest Oregon Conference. Adamari Lazaro had three hits and a run batted in to lead the HRV offense.
The Dalles 16, Madras 0: The Riverhawks scored 12 runs in the second inning, dropping their magic number to clinch the Tri-Valley Conference crown to three. Zoe Lebreton and Madalynn Sagapolutele each homered and drove in four runs.
Track and Field
Hannah Adams won both hurdles races and the pole vault as The Dalles tied host Madras for first in the girls’ portion of a three-way Tri-Valley Conference meet with Molalla.
Sherman’s Sophie Hulke swept the girls’ throws while Macy Bell of South Wasco won two events at the South Wasco Invitational in Maupin.
Girls Lacrosse
Cleveland 7, Hood River Valley 5
Yakama Nation Gives Notice Of Intent To Sue Over Bradford Cleanup
The Yakama Nation has given 60 days notice to federal officials of its intent to sue in U.S. District Court over a lack of progress and cooperation in regard to cleanup at the Bradford Island Superfund site. Under the notice, the tribe alleges standards and regulations have not been adhered to for Bradford Island, and the Army Corps of Engineers has failed to perform its duties. Representatives of the Yakama Nation, Environmental Protection Agency Region 10, the Corps, and the states of Oregon and Washington met on Tuesday to discuss Bradford Island, where toxic waste from the construction and operation of Bonneville Dam was disposed of for many years. Bradford Island was added to the BPA’s national priorities list in 2022.
TD Budget Committee Sends Fiscal Plan To Council
The Dalles municipal budget committee unanimously recommended the 2023-24 fiscal year budget back to the City Council for approval with a few minor amendments. Just before the group approved the fiscal plan, committee member and City Councilor Dan Richardson said the City is in a good financial position. Committee Chair and Councilor Tim McGlothlin added that the City is coming out of the pandemic in a much better place than it was prior to it. The budget now moves to the City Council for final approval.
Group Asks Kilckitat County Residents To Report Broadband Speed
A group formed by community councils is asking Klickitat County residents to take part in a survey of broadband speeds in an attempt to attract state and federal funding to bring high-speed Internet to rural areas. The Klickitat County Broadband Action Team is looking for residents to do the speed tests by May 12. The team’s Chris Connolly the pandemic highlighted the broadband shortcomings in the lightly populated areas of the county. The survey is available by going through the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District website at mcedd.org.