The Port of Hood River is embarking on its Strategic Business Plan process, and the focus will be on sustainability after construction of a new Interstate Bridge. Port Executive Director Kevin Greenwood says ports are required to maintain this kind of plan and update it at least every ten years. In the case of the Port of Hood River, it’s every five to six years. Greenwood says assuming the bridge replacement moves forward, much of their focus will be on the Waterfront, and how to generate the revenue necessary to maintain recreational activites. Other areas will include plans for developing property south of the Marina, and future possibilities for the Ken Jernstedt Airfield. More information is available at portofhoodriver.com.
Author: mbailey
Cherry Fest Sees Revenues Down, But Businesses Benefit
Last month’s Northwest Cherry Festival brought in less revenue and saw expenses increase for The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, but downtown businesses saw an upturn in their traffic. The festival had to be revamped and attractions spread throughout the downtown area due to the First Street reconstruction project. Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson said they had to reduce the number of vendors because of a lack of space, and the move of the carnival to Lewis & Clark Festival Park also led to a drop in revenue. But at the same time, she says downtown businesses reported they did better than in the past. And all of that will be considered for next year, when the Festival will have even less space with the Federal Street Plaza expected to be finished, and the First Street renovations continuing.
SAR Advance Life Support Teams Formed
The Crag Rats, Pacific Northwest Search And Rescue, and Portland Mountain Rescue have formed Search and Rescue Advance Life Support teams. This skilled group of volunteer paramedics, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician associates, and doctors provide advanced medical care in remote locations where conventional services cannot easily reach. The Hood River County Health Department say sthe SAR ALS program was started because the American Medical Response Reach and Treat Team, which served the region for 40 years with backcountry paramedics, ceased operation on April 30. Hood River County Health Officer and SAR Emergency Medical Services Medical Director Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg worked with regional SAR organizations to fill the gap. Hood River County Sheriff Matt English says the new capabilities are a game changer. He says the ability to provide advanced medical care in remote locations, not readily accessible by Fire and EMS crews, greatly increases the likelihood of positive outcomes.
Quinn Named To Oregon Arts Commission
Governor Tina Kotek has appointed Elizabeth Quinn of Mosier to the Oregon Arts Commission. Quinn joins the Commission with 25 years of leadership in the arts nonprofit sector. Currently a fiber artist, Quinn began her career as the Executive Director of The Dalles Art Center before founding the High Desert Journal. Her extensive resume includes roles as Program Director at Caldera and Interim Executive Director of PLAYA in Summer Lake. Through her work with Fieldworks Consulting, she has helped guide prominent institutions such as the Portland Art Museum and the Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters. In 2016, Quinn was selected for the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Leadership Institute. The Oregon Arts Commission is a panel appointed by the Governor to establish policies and provide advisory support for public investment in the arts.
May 18 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Golf
Hood River Valley’s Aksel Betz shot a three-over-par 75 at the Oregon Class 5A Tournament at Tokatee Golf Club at Blue River, good for a tie for seventh after the first round heading into today’s final 18.
The Dalles’ Andrew Westin shot a 27-over-par 99 at the Oregon Class 4A Tournament at Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell, and is in 50th place.
Girls Golf
Dufur’s Tygh Timinsky is tied for sixth after one round at the Oregon Class 4A Tournament at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond. Timinsky shot a nine-over-par 81, and is nine shots back of the leader. Dufur is currently tenth in the team standings.
Oregon Girls Lacrosse Association Semi-Final
Jesuit 14, Hood River Valley 2
Baseball
Gladstone 2, The Dalles 1: The Riverhawks were limited to two hits, as the Gladiators scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to win.
Softball
Gladstone 4, The Dalles 3 (10 innings): Gladstone snapped the Riverhawks’ 14-game winning streak and handed them their first Tri-Valley Conference loss on a tenth inning run.
May 15-16 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Hood River Valley 5, Hillsboro 3: Maverick Hockett’s two run single in the bottom of the sixth inning lifted the Eagles to the win after the Spartans came from three runs down to tie the game in a driving rain.
The Dalles 14, Madras 7: The Riverhawks scored nine runs in the first inning as they snap a four-game losing streak. Evan Ortega and Thatcher Dray drove in three runs apiece.
Sherman sweeps Elgin 14-5 and 15-4: Drake Dark drove in three runs in each game for the Huskies, while Gage Simpson went three for four in both contests.
Softball
Hillsboro 8, Hood River Valley 6: The Spartans scored two in the bottom of the sixth inning to complete a comeback from a five-run deficit. Taylor Duckwall went three for three with three runs batted in for the Eagles.
The Dalles 18, Madras 0: Hailey Johnson hit two home runs and drove in three, while Morgan Donivan also homered and had three RBI as the Riverhawks stayed unbeaten in the Tri-Valley Conference.
Columbia defeated Nooksack Valley 17-12 in the fifth place game of the Southwest Washington Class 1A District tournament to advance to the state tournament in Richland later this week. The win ended a long weekend for the Bruins that saw them win four out of six games, including three out of four on Saturday. In the final game, Danica Herman homered and drove in seven runs, while Josella Posini also homered and had four RBI.
Track and Field
Stevenson earned 17 boys entries and 14 girls qualifiers, while the Columbia boys and girls had 14 each to advance from the Trico League Championships to next week’s Southwest Washington Class 1A District Meet. Stevenson’s Jude Travinski won the boys’ 100 meters, Columbia’s Sara Miller was first in the girls’ 100, Daisy Jones of Stevenson topped the girls’ 800, and Samantha Evans of CHS won the girls’ high jump.
Sherman won the girls’ title at the Del LaRue Invitational in Ione. Chloe Simpson swept the jumps for the Huskies, while T’Sharra Lanthorn won both distance races. Sherman’s boys finished second, with Trysten Lofthouse winning the 3,000 meters.
Oregon High School Lacrosse Association
First Round
Hood River Valley 22, West Albany 2: The Eagles advance to a second round match at Grant on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The two teams split a pair of one-goal decisions in the regular season.
Boys Tennis
The Dalles left the Oregon Class 4A Special District 4 Tournament in Hermiston with three entries for the state tournament. Dante Kim finished third in boys’ singles, while Julian Rodriguez and Gunderson Emmett finished third and Zach Pothier and Jesus Chavez fourth in boys’ singles. The state 4A tourney starts on Thursday in Corvallis.
Southwest Washington Class 1A Boys Soccer Tournament
Elma 2, Columbia 1: The Bruins were eliminated from post-season play with the loss.
Three Taken To Hospitals After Highway 97/14 Accident
Three people were transported to area hospitals after a two-vehicle accident at the junction of Highways 97 and 14 in Klickitat County on Friday afternoon. According to the Washington State Patrol…a car driven by a 22-year-old Yakima man was stopped on southbound Highway 97 attempting to turn left onto eastbound Highway 14. The car turned in front of a westbound pickup truck, resulting in the collision. The driver of the car was taken to Klickitat Valley Health in Goldendale for treatment of injuries. The driver of the pickup truck, a 47-year-old Vancouver man, and a passenger, a 23-year-old Yakima woman, were taken to Adventist Health Columbia Gorge in The Dalles. The driver of the car was cited for failure to yield.
Woman Found Dead At Stevenson Apartment Complex; Man Arrested
A man was arrested in Skamania County in connection with the death of a woman at an apartment complex in Stevenson. According to the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office…emergency dispatchers received a report of an unresponsive adult female at the White Cap Apartments in Stevenson on Friday afternoon. Law enforcement and emergency medical personnel located a woman deceased with significant trauma injuries, and her children were missing and unaccounted for. Later Friday evening, deputies located the adult male person of interest at an apartment complex in Stevenson. The individual was detained and arrested without incident, and the missing children were located safe inside the residence. The children were subsequently placed into protective custody with the assistance of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The investigation remains active and ongoing. The deceased female was transported to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the official cause and manner of death. Law enforcement officials have not released the names of the victim or the suspect in custody.
HR County Budget Committee Plans Fifth Meeting
It will take another meeting for Hood River County’s Budget Committee to approve a financial plan for the 2026-27 fiscal year. County Administrator Allison Williams presented just over $1 million in budget adjustments requested by the panel after there were objections to transferring $475,000 from the timber interest fund into the general fund in an attempt to the balance the budget. Williams’ adjustments included continuing to leave currently open positons vacant for five months, but the committee increased that to twelve for a total savings of $750,000. But the Committee also discussed about whether staff should have flexibility to change what positons to leave vacant as others come open. Commission Chair Jennifer Euwer noted that kind of decision is what managers are hired to do. The Committee asked staff to prepare a budget document that accounts for leaving the open positions vacant for twelve months, and scheduled another meeting for next Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. in the Hood River County Administration Building.
Old Dufur Road Repave Starts Monday
The Dalles Public Works on Monday will repave a section of Old Dufur Road impacted by recent new utility service installation projects. A partial road closure will remain in place during work hours Monday through Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. A traffic message board will be in place at the intersection of E 10th St. and Old Dufur Road that says “1 LANE ROAD AHEAD, UP TO 20 MINUTE WAIT”. Flaggers will direct vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians safely through the work zone as equipment use allows. The traveling public is advised to use alternate routes when possible. The road will reopen at the end of each working day. No parking will be allowed within the project areas to allow room for large equipment to safely work.