Boys Soccer Hood River Valley 2, Ridgeview 1:  The Eagles solidified their hold on first place in the Intermountain Conference with a second victory this season over the Ravens. The Dalles 4, Crook County 1   Girls Soccer Ridgeview 3, Hood River Valley 0 The Dalles 3, Crook County 0 Seton Catholic 2, Columbia 1 Highland 4, Goldendale 0   Volleyball Ridgeview def. The Dalles 25-27, 25-10, 25-12, 25-16 Redmond def. Hood River Valley 25-6, 25-11, 25-10 Columbia def. Seton Catholic 3-0 Echo def. Sherman 25-16, 25-15, 25-10 South Wasco def. Horizon Christian 25-5, 25-6, 25-6 Stevenson def. Toledo 25-17, 23-25, 25-16, 25-23 Goldendale def. Kittitas 25-12, 25-1, 25-13   Cross Country Hood River Valley won both the boys and girls team titles at a five-school race at Birch Creek Golf Course.  Phoebe Wood won the girls’ race for HRV, while Elliot Hawley was second in the boys’ run.  The Dalles was second in the boys’ standings led by an individual victory for Juan Diego Contreras.  The Riverhawks were third in the girls’ run, with Alaina Cassidy taking sixth.   Isabella Spencer finished first to lead the Stevenson girls to a win at a Central League meet at Toledo.  The Bulldogs finished fourth in the boys’ race.  

Fire season in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District will terminate at 12:01 Saturday morning.  Burning of slash piles or other debris from forest operations or fuels treatment projects will not be permitted until additional precipitation is received.  Cooler fall temperatures and periodic moisture has reduced fire behavior and improved fuel conditions across the District.  But ODF officials say typically there is an increase in human caused fires just after Fire season ends.  These uncontrolled fires are often linked to careless debris burning or burning in windy conditions and abandoned campfires.  With the termination of fire season, burning yard debris and the use of burn barrels is allowed, but these fires should be kept small, and any surrounding fuel should be cleared away to reduce potential spread.  A fire tool, such as a shovel, and water or a fire extinguisher should be available to help control the fire if needed.  Fires should not be left unattended, should be dead out, and cool to the touch when you leave.  Check with your local fire district for burning regulations in your area, including restrictions on campfires and recreational fires.  Fire Season in the Central Oregon District began June 1^st this year and overall 5,063 acres were burned across Central Oregon District protected lands, 58% of the ten-year average.  Eighty-five percent of the fires were contained at less than ten acres.

The Hood River Valley Harvest Festival is underway this weekend at the Waterfront Event Site.  Hannah Settje of the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce says there will be plenty of fresh fruit from local orchards available, and much more.  Harvest Fest is open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.  Admission is $10 for adults, and proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within the last 72 hours is required for admission.  There is rapid testing available on site.

The Federal Highway Administration, Washington State Department of Transportation, and U.S. Forest Service are looking to find ways to reduce congestion and improve safety at popular recreation sites along Highway 14, including Dog Mountain Trailhead.  The study area includes the 71-mile stretch of Highway 14 between Washougal and the eastern boundary of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.  The agencies are holding virtual drop-in community conversations today and this coming Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. along with an online open house through November 1.  For more information about the project and the online sessions, visit the project website at sr14study.participate.online/.

In the wake of load testing activities on the Port of Hood River Interstate Bridge causing significant traffic backups on Interstate 84 and Highway 14 on Wednesday, the testing schedule has been altered to eliminate one full day of closures.  The bridge will now be fully closed to all traffic twice on Monday, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., with no full closures scheduled for Wednesday of next week as originally planned.  In response to a lowered load rating imposed by the Oregon Department of Transportation in March, the Port of Hood River has been conducting extensive live load testing on the bridge since last Saturday.  Test results will help determine if it is feasible to restore the prior weight limit for larger commercial trucks and emergency vehicles.  Wireless communications of the testing equipment malfunctioned on Wednesday and extended the closure schedule, leading to the traffic backups.

The Dalles Public Works crews next week will be cleaning storm water catch basins in the downtown area.  Cleaning catch basins allows for fast drainage into the storm water conveyance system.  Crews are scheduled to work on First, Second, Third and Fourth Streets from the west side of Lincoln Street to the east side of Taylor Street.  Work will occur between 9:00 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. each night.  The overnight schedule will cause the least disruption to traffic and businesses.   The City is asking motorists to park so that the catch basins are accessible during the night work hours.    

The Columbia Gorge Education Service District has received a $100,000 grant from Google to support creating and increasing school-based mental health services for students in Wasco County.  With the grant funds from Google and additional private and public funding sources, the Columbia Gorge ESD plans to expand the role of the Whole Child Nursing Administrator to connect with outside providers to continue to expand telehealth services for students.  It will also offer a mobile health clinic in partnership with One Community Health that will visit schools in Wasco and Hood River Counties with licensed clinicians providing physical and mental health care to students   A third goal is to build an on-site school-based health center at The Dalles High School.  The ESD says surveys they have conducted found students and parents identified mental health services as the top health concern with cost, transportation, and services being too far away as the largest barriers.  

Amanda Evans has been appointed as executive director for the Mid-Columbia Health Foundation.  Evans is a lifelong resident of the Columbia River Gorge and has worked at the Foundation since 2005.  Mid-Columbia Medical Center executive director Dennis Knox says Evans brings to the role 16 years of hands-on experience managing both fundraising and operational functions at the Foundation.  During her time at the Foundation, Evans has had responsibility for development and implementation of all Foundation programs including donor recognition, communications, marketing, scholarships, financial reporting, donor relationships and staff management.  She was named Interim Executive Director in December 2020.

The Hood River Urban Renewal Agency will be considering a Westside Urban Renewal District in the next few weeks.  With two districts, Columbia-Cascade downtown and the Waterfront, expiring over the next three fiscal years, adding a Westside district would become possible under state law limiting a City to having only 25% of its land in urban renewal at one time.  Interim City Manager Will Norris says the district would follow plans for the Westside area already in place.  A consultant will do a preliminary financial analysis of what a Westside urban renewal district would bring in, and give a report to the URA board and its advisory committee on November 18.

The Port of Klickitat will hold a ribbon cutting and open house on Monday for its newly constructed building in the Dallesport Industrial Park.  Port Executive Director Margie Ziegler says they don’t yet have a tenant for the first of five buildings planned for Lot 39 in the 660-acre industrial park, but they are excited about getting some construction going at the location.  She adds they also now have a $50,000 Washington Community Economic Revitalization Board grant to conduct a feasibility study for the park, and the Port has received a $99,000 grant for water system improvements.  Monday’s open house will run from 10 a.m. to noon, with a ribbon cutting at 10:30.