Construction on the Federal Street Plaza in downtown The Dalles will begin on Monday. The project is located on Federal Street between 1ˢᵗ and 2ⁿᵈ Streets, and is expected to be completed by the end of October. Contractor Ajax Northwest says it will begin work on utilities for the plaza on Monday, so that segment of Federal will be closed until October 16. Construction hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, but the road will remain closed overnight, and detours will be posted. Access to nearby businesses will be maintained throughout construction. Public parking in the 1ˢᵗ Street Public Lot between Washington Street and Federal Street will remain open, with access from Washington Street. The City is issuing a reminder that on-street parking in the downtown core is reserved for customer use. Business owners, employees, and tenants are encouraged to use public parking lots. Updates on traffic conditions and project progress will continue to be shared on the City’s social media and website at thedalles.org.
Author: mbailey
Mail Carriers Food Drive On Saturday
The National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive — the largest single-day food drive in the country — is this Saturday. All donations collected in Wasco and Sherman Counties will go directly to the Columbia Gorge Food Bank, and all donations collected in Hood River County will be delivered to FISH Food Bank. To participate, place a bag of nonperishable, unexpired food items near your mailbox on Saturday. Your letter carrier will collect it during their regular mail route. Suggested items include canned vegetables, canned proteins, peanut butter, pasta, rice, and other shelf-stable foods. Please ensure all items are unexpired and in undamaged packaging.
Wine & Art Festival Saturday
The Columbia Gorge Wine and Art Festival will be at the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn Convention Center on Saturday to benefit the Hood River County Education Foundation. It’s the third year for the event, but it’s the first time the art portion has been added to the title. Mike Schend with the Hood River County Education Foundation says they had invited a few artists previously when the festival was at the fairgrounds, and they’ve expanded with the move to Hood River Inn. The works of thirteen Gorge artists will be on display, along with tastings available from twelve different wineries. The Columbia Gorge Wine and Art Festival will be on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are available at tickettomato.com.
Columbia Gorge CASA 101 Events Planned
Columbia Gorge CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, will be holding a pair of its CASA 101 events to educate people about how they advocate in legal proceedings for children who have experienced abuse and neglect and the important role of CASA volunteers. The first will be this Tuesday at 5:30 in the Ferment Brewing Company Beer Hall in Hood River, and the second on June 4 at 4:30 at CASA’s new satellite office in the Copper West Building in The Dalles. CASA Executive Director Christopher Janetzko says the need for volunteers continues to grow, particularly in Wasco County. RSVP’s are appreciated but not required. E-mail training@gorgecasa.org.
Kite Festival And Memorial At The Hood River Waterfront
Bristol Hospice hosts its third annual Kite Festival and Memorial this Saturday at Lot 1 of the Hood River Waterfront. Thomas Keolker says there will be professional kiters displaying their skills and wares on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and there will be place roped off for amateurs to bring kites as well. There will also be a ceremony to remember those served by hospice and have passed way in the last year. The celebration of life celebration will be Saturday morning at 11 a.m. There will be a tent set up in the Fermet Brewery parking lot for that ceremony.
May 6 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Hood River Valley 2, Canby 0: Tyson Harjo’s two-run homer off Canby ace Jack Brauckmiller in the third inning scored the only runs of the game. Landon Pratt gave up only two hits over six innings, striking out ten. Trevor Jacobs came on in the seventh inning to strike out two and nail down the win.
Estacada 4, The Dalles 3: The Rangers finished a sweep of the two game Tri-Valley Conference series. Evan Ortega and Hunter Bustos drove in runs for the Riverhawks.
Columbia 15, Fort Vancouver 0: A seven-run first inning set the tone for the Bruins. Ryder Graves and Brody Landgren drove in three runs apiece.
Softball
Canby 10, Hood River Valley 5: The Cougars jumped out to a big lead early, and repelled the Eagles comeback effort. Honey Wampler-Bryan had three hits and drove in two runs for Hood River Valley.
The Dalles 12, Estacada 2: Ava Graves went five for five and drove in two runs, while Morgan Donivan doubled and homered to knock home three. Cadence Young also had a three RBI day for the Riverhawks.
Boys Soccer
Columbia 4, Winlock 0: The Bruins wrap up the regular season in second in the Trico League, and will host a Southwest Washington Class 1A District Tournament first round game this Tuesday.
Boys Lacrosse
Oregon Episcopal 14, Hood River Valley 3
Adventist Health Moves Closer To Critical Access Designation
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has approved Adventist Health Columbia Gorge’s application to become a designated Critical Access Hospital. The Joint Commission, which accredits hospitals, has accepted the application and will survey the hospital and its hospital-based clinics to finalize the transition to a Critical Access Hospital. Adventist Health Columbia Gorge administrator Jayme Thompson says it’s a huge step forward toward final approval. In order to finalize the new status, accreditation surveyors from The Joint Commission will perform an on-site evaluation of Adventist Health Columbia Gorge’s compliance with specific Critical Access conditions. The survey focuses on patient safety, quality of care, and structural requirements and includes in-person observation, staff interviews, and record reviews. A Critical Access Hospital is a special designation by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for small, rural hospitals to receive cost-based reimbursement from the federal government.
Wasco County Approves Loan For White River Health District
Wasco County has approved a short-term $100,000 loan to the White River Health District to help them through an anticipated shortfall this autumn while waiting for property tax levy revenues to arrive in November. District Board Chair David Farris says they have seen patient revenue at the Deschutes Rim Health Clinic in Maupin go up, and are currently trying to implement a marketing plan and recruit a dentist, but they don’t have a lot of operating funds to spare. County Commissioner Phil Brady pointed out that the district sought out grants from other sources, and did just get an increase in their levy from voters. Commissioners approved the loan request unanimously. In other business, the Commission approved a burn ban that will mirror a similar action planned by the Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue District. It will go into effect on Friday morning at 12:01. Commission Chair Scott Hege says this is the earliest he can recall a burn ban going into effect.
Klickitat County Schedules Zone 1 & 2 Burn Bans To Start May 18
Klickitat County Commissioners signed off on establishing a burn ban on May 18 in the County’s Burn Ban Zones 1 and 2. Zone 1 extends east of the Klickitat County Fire District #7 eastern boundary, while Zone 2 is from the Fire District 7 eastern boundary west to the western boundaries of Klickitat County Fire Districts #4, 12 and 15, then north on the Klickitat River to the north county line, to include but not limited to Klickitat County Fire Districts #4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14 and 15. The ban will be in effect on lands outside the jurisdiction of the Yakama Indian Nation; and the jurisdiction of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. It prohibits the issuance of burning permits except for authorized agricultural burning. Residential barbecues will be allowed. No date has been set at this time to begin a burn ban in zone 3 on the western end of the County.
Construction On Federal Street Plaza Starts Monday
Construction on the Federal Street Plaza in downtown The Dalles will begin on Monday. The project is located on Federal Street between 1ˢᵗ and 2ⁿᵈ Streets and is expected to be completed by the end of October. Work that may require lane closures or temporary road closures is anticipated to occur from mid-June through the end of July. During this time, expect periodic traffic impacts in and around Federal Street between 1ˢᵗ and the alley south of 2ⁿᵈ Street. The contractor will provide advance notice of traffic impacts in the form of a press release. Access to nearby businesses will be maintained throughout construction. Public parking in the 1ˢᵗ Street Public Lot between Washington Street and Federal Street will remain open, with access from Washington Street. The City is issuing a reminder that on-street parking in the downtown core is reserved for customer use. Business owners, employees, and tenants are encouraged to use public parking lots. Updates on traffic conditions and project progress will continue to be shared on the City’s social media and website at thedalles.org.