Columbia Gorge Community College is in the initial phases of studying a potential ag-tech program for the school.  CGCC Dean of Library and Learning Commons Dylan McManus says the school is looking at how it can assist the agricultural community in the region, communicating with 75 different agencies.  Topics like sustainability, the potential influence of robotics on the ag industry, and the future of small and medium sized farms are all being considered in studying an ag-tech program.

Like other points of the pandemic when the Mid-Columbia area tended to lag behind trends in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the Omicron surge appears to be similar.  North Central Public Health District Chief Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell says Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam counties are lagging a bit behind the larger areas of the state.  McDonell also said vaccinations in the district remain on a slow and steady pace, noting challenges in communicating that boosters are available to most people may have slowed that pace.  She added the Oregon Health Authority will be doing a week-long vaccine clinic in Wasco County during February.

The Oregon Health Authority’s weekly COVID-19 report released Wednesday showed a decline in weekly cases, but sharply rising hospitalizations and a high test positivity rate. OHA reported 47,361 new cases of COVID-19 during the week that ended Sunday – a 9.5% decline from last week’s pandemic high. There were 638 new COVID-19-related hospitalizations, a 45% increase over the previous week, and the highest since the Delta surge peaked at 1,036 hospitalizations. COVID-19-related deaths fell to 59, from 83 the previous week. Reported COVID-19 test results dropped 9.9% to 288,232 for the week ending January 22. Test positivity rose from 22.5% to 25%. Oregon remains well short of meeting Gov. Kate Brown’s goal of getting 1 million more people in the state a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of January. When the challenge began in mid-December, 949,749 people had received a booster dose. Since then, 469,740 Oregonians have received a booster. As of Wednesday, Oregon needs 530,260 people to get a booster to reach the goal.

Wrestling

Ridgeview 54, Hood River Valley 21

Pendleton 39, Hood River Valley 36:  Connor Farlow and Jaime Rodriguez-Estrada each won a pair of matches by fall for HRV.

A 31-year-old man was arrested in The Dalles after being reported as attacking someone and stealing a vehicle in the 1200 block of West 2nd Street Monday evening.  According to The Dalles Police Department, officers from The Dalles Police, Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, and Oregon State Police pursued the vehicle through the west end of the City, up Seven Mile Hill into Wasco County, and eventually back into The Dalles.  After using specialized equipment to deflate tires, they were able to get the vehicle stopped in the area of 8th and Cherry Heights.  31-year-old Daniel Wood was arrested and lodged at the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility on numerous charges including robbery, attempted assault, and strangulation.  

Mid-Columbia Medical Center CEO Dennis Knox expects the hospital’s process of looking for a partner, and deciding whether to take one on, to be methodical but also should be wrapped up in late spring.  Knox says they had have had about 20 preliminary inquiries as they work with a firm that specializes in this area, and are beginning to talk with interested parties.  Knox says the process will probably take until the end of May to make a decision, adding it is possible they will choose not to partner with anyone at all and remain independent.  Knox noted the firm they are working with has helped about 250 not-for-profit hospitals do similar searches, and about half have decided to stay independent.

Washington 14th District State Representative Gina Mosbrucker is sponsoring a bill to change knowingly possessing of fentanyl from a simple misdemeanor to a class C felony.  The Goldendale Republican says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control now says overdose from fentanyl is the leading cause of death between the ages of 18 and 45.  She says under the Washington State Supreme Court’s Blake decision last year, police can do almost nothing when encountering a fentanyl user.  House Bill 1937 has been referred to the House Public Safety Committee, but no hearings have been scheduled as of yet.

Boys Basketball

Hood River Valley 56, Woodburn 53:  Tommy Ziegler scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter, and Emanuel Romero tallied six of his 11 late in the game, as the Eagles snapped a two-game losing streak.

King’s Way Christian 59,  Columbia 40:  Carson Lanz led the CHS effort with 17 points.

Goldendale 53, Granger 45

  Girls Basketball

Mountain View (WA) 53, Hood River Valley 51:  HRV’s Marina Castaneda had a big night with 36 points, but it wasn’t quite enough to get the win against a balanced Mountain View squad.

Granger 35, Goldendale 30

Fire crews rescued a person from a commercial structure fire in The Dalles early Tuesday morning.  In a statement, Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue says they were dispatched to the fire shortly after 3 a.m.  The first engine and fire medic crews entered the burning structure upon arrival to conduct a primary search, and rescued the person still inside the structure.  MCFR says the fire is still under investigation, and further details are not being released at this time.  Wasco County 9-1-1 logs show the fire occurred on West 6th in The Dalles.

The City of The Dalles and the Oregon Department of Transportation have reached an agreement to move forward with extending the center turn lane on West 6th Street from Snipes where it currently ends to Hostetler.  A City application to ODOT’s All Roads Transportation Safety program was approved, which would provide up to $922,000 for the estimated $1 million project.  This section of roadway has been the site of numerous motor vehicle accidents over the years, the majority of which have been related to attempted left-turns by westbound vehicles.  City Police officers have also observed head-on near misses as drivers move into the oncoming lane to make a left turn not realizing that the center turn lane has ended.