Baseball Hood River Valley 8, Redmond 1:  Harrison Howell had four hits and drove in two runs, while Nate Van Dooren had three hits and also had two RBI as the Eagles closed in on nailing down second place in the Intermountain Conference. Hood River Valley 6, Summit 5:  Hunter Hough got a strikeout with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning to preserve the win. The Dalles 5, Crook County 4:  The Riverhawks scored four runs in the seventh inning to win, including an RBI single by Riley Brock to tie the game and William Lee was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in the winning run. Bend 18, The Dalles 8 Sherman sweeps Umatilla 10-9 and 10-0 Irrigon sweeps Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 11-0 and 12-2 Dufur sweeps Grant Union 11-3 and 13-11   Softball Hood River Valley 12, Redmond 1:  Jessa Nicklesen drove in four runs and Abby Kahler three for HRV in the IMC win. Hood River Valley 20, Summit 0:  Molly Routson had three doubles and three runs batted in to lead the Eagles to their seventh win in nine games. The Dalles 13, Crook County 7:  Maddie Troutt hit two home runs and drove in four runs to lead the Riverhawks to the Intermountain Conference win.  The Dalles had nine extra-base hits in the game. Bend 9, The Dalles 0   Track and Field South Wasco took the boys title and Bickleton the girls’ crown at the Jeff Agar Memorial in Glenwood.  Aaron Smith of Lyle-Wishram and Holly Miles of South Wasco won three events apiece.   Horizon Christian was the boys’ winner and the Condon finished first in the girls’ standings at the Wheeler County Invitational.  Lyle-Wishram’s Aaron Smith won four different events in the boys’ portion of the meet, while Sherman’s Mercedez Cardona won a trio of girls’ events.   Boys Lacrosse Grant 10, Hood River Valley 5 Hood River Valley 21, Wilson 5   Boys Basketball King’s Way Christian 60, Columbia 21 Goldendale 47, Castle Rock 40 Toutle Lake 76, Stevenson 26   Girls Basketball King’s Way Christian 60, Columbia 43 Goldendale 58, Castle Rock 38

Wasco County has updated and reopened its COVID-19 Emergency Business Grant program to support businesses impacted by the movement to the Extreme Risk Category on April 30.   Funds were provided by the State of Oregon.   Grants will be made based on the number of employees between 0 and 50, with award amounts ranging from $2,500 to $15,000.  Small businesses with under 25 employees, over a year old and those most impacted will be prioritized for resources.  Mid-Columbia Economic Development District is working with the County to administer these funds.  Visit mcedd.org/bizgrants for additional details.  Applications must be submitted by May 16th for consideration.

Boys Basketball Seton Catholic 63, Columbia 47:  Seton Catholic outscored the Bruins 24-10 in the fourth quarter to pull away for the win.  Chase Colloton scored 22 points for CHS. LaCenter 90, Goldendale 59   Girls Basketball Columbia 52, Seton Catholic 38 LaCenter 50, Goldendale 33   Boys Tennis Hood River Valley 5, Pendleton 1   Girls Lacrosse Lincoln 17, Hood River Valley 5

Wasco County Commissioners have approved a drought declaration for 2021.  Commissioners heard a presentation from National Weather Service Science and Operations Officer Ed Townsend, who said North Central Oregon has seen below normal snowpack and precipitation since winter, and drier than average conditions are expected this summer.  The drought declaration, which was also issued in 2020, sets up County agricultural operations to be eligible for federal and state assistance.  

A Minnesota man died in a motorcycle accident Wednesday in Sherman County.  The Oregon State Police says that OSP troopers and emergency personnel responded to a report of a motorcycle crash on Highway 206 near milepost 6 in Sherman County.  An investigation found the motorcycle driven by 51-year-old James Nordrum was northbound when he failed to negotiate a curve and went off a small embankment.  Lifesaving efforts were attempted by bystanders and emergency personnel.  Nordrum was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The OSP was assisted by the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, North Sherman Fire & Rescue, Moro Fire & Rescue, Sherman County ambulance and LifeFlight.

A return of the timber severance tax continues to be debated by the Oregon Legislature.  Two different bills to restore a tax on the value of timber that is logged but with different structures have been passed out of committees and sent to the Ways and Means Natural Resources subcommittee.  52nd District Representative Anna Williams says legislators are trying to sort out how to combine the bills, adding one of the issues is counties like Hood River that both could receive revenues from the tax and also have to pay the tax when selling trees on their own land.  The concept is also being discussed by the House Revenue Committee.

The Performing Arts Initiative, which is looking to build a state-of-the-art performance center in the Columbia River Gorge, has announced its effort to raise $200,000 over the next two months.  The DREAM BIG campaign will run through the end of June.  Current PAI Board President Emily Vawter says PAI has received a $10,000 donation from a long-time supporter, and if the PAI receives a total of $10,000 in donations from other supporters by May 15, they will donate an additional $10,000.  The organization plans in the next 12 months to finalize land lease terms for a venue location overlooking the Columbia River, hire an interim development director, and hire an architectural firm to begin designing the performance center.  Donations can be made at https://givebutter.com/PAI_DreamBig

The City of White Salmon is seeking applicants to serve on its Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and the newly created City Lab Board.  The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee will establish the program and procedure whereby parties may apply for grants from the Hotel/Motel tax fund for tourism promotion.  The City Lab Board will take direction from the Mayor and/or City Council on items the board may study, investigate, or provide guidance on in order to develop and recommend ordinances, resolutions, and/or building code changes that support the adopted Comprehensive Plan, relevant resolutions and other visioning documents approved by the City Council.  To apply, e-mail a resume and cover letter to janb@ci.white-salmon.wa.us

One westbound lane of Interstate 84 will close around the clock for slide repairs starting Friday east of Cascade Locks.  Crews will close the right westbound lane at milepost 48 to repair an embankment adjacent to the highway damaged by a slide.  The slide was one of a series of landslides during winter storms that forced occasional closures of I-84 and the Historic Columbia River Highway.  During the work, the shoulder of westbound I-84 will also be closed.  A signed detour for people riding bicycles on I-84 west will be available by taking Exit 51 and following Wyeth Road into Cascade Locks.  The Oregon Department of Transportation will reduce the speed limit speed to 55 mph in the lane closure area.  Travelers should plan for delays during peak travel times and go to TripCheck.com for real-time traffic conditions.  The schedule calls for completion and re-opening of the lane in June.

The Wasco County Commission decided to have planning staff move forward with incorporating revisions to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Management Plan into their land use development ordinance.  Commission Chair Scott Hege said while he remains concerned about the County not being fully reimbursed for the costs associated with implementing the Scenic Area ordinance, he added after receiving significant public comment over the last two weeks it became clear they should move forward with implementation.  He added it was clear the Gorge Commission does not have the resources to take on administering the NSA ordinance in Wasco County at this time.  Commissioner Steve Kramer suggested sending a letter to Oregon Governor Kate Brown and the Gorge Commission seeking to modify this year’s state budget to provide the funding for the counties and the Gorge Commission to cover the costs of Scenic Area ordinance administration.