The Wasco County 2040 comprehensive land use plan update enters a new phase later this month as housing and parcel size flexibility becomes a focus.  County Senior Planner Kelly Howsley-Glover notes with a large and diverse county, this topic will be one of the most complex they will deal with.  Workshops are scheduled for March 20 at Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles, March 21 at the Tygh Valley Community Center, March 26 at the Mosier Grange Hall, and March 28 at the Wamic Community Center, with all four running from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Information and a survey is available at wasco2040.com.

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center’s new exhibit highlights the HVDC Test Center that Bonneville Power Administration operated for over 50 years near the Big Eddy substation.  The Discovery Center’s Eloise Russell says the test center was the first of its kind in the United States, established to use emerging industry knowledge of conversion between alternating current and direct current in designing a system to transmit power from the Celilo Converter Station 846 miles to the Sylmar Converter Station in Los Angeles.  The test center was demolished two years ago, and over 30 boxes of archives was salvaged to create segments of the exhibit.  The exhibit opens Saturday and will be on display until the end of May.

Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association Championships

At Mt. Hood Meadows

Hood River Valley was third in both the boys and girls standings after day one of the state race.  Central Catholic is the boys leader, while Summit tops the girls standings. HRV’s Josie Peterson was third in the girls’ giant slalom, while the Eagles’ Nash Levy was seventh in the boys’ slalom.  The girls’ slalom and boys’ giant slalom are on tap for today.

Having gone through a number of hearings around the state, including The Dalles, as part of the Legislature’s Joint Carbon Committee, 59th District Representative Daniel Bonham questions whether the cap-and-trade legislation currently before the panel would actually have an impact on reducing carbon emissions.  Bonham says the impact on the agriculture industry could be huge, noting it’s difficult for that sector to make up for increased costs given how commodity prices are set.  The Dalles Republican calls the bill “a money grab,” saying it won’t move the needle on reducing greenhouse gas emissions on a global level.  But he acknowledges given the majorities held by the Democratic Party in the Legislature, he expects cap-and-trade legislation will pass in some form.

While snow and cold temperatures have remained in the Gorge for an unusual period of time through the first week of March, it should not have a major impact on area orchards.  OSU Extension Horticulturist Ashley Thompson says right now bud death is not being observed in the trees, adding temperatures weren’t warm enough earlier in the winter to get them started.  She says they are still on schedule for a relatively normal bloom date.  Thompson noted some orchardists have been out pruning in snowshoes over the past week.  She says temperatures have gotten warm enough to allow that work to be done safely, and it is work growers have to get done by spring.

Portland-based Avangrid Renewables will lease 480 acres of state-owned land near Bickleton in Klickitat County to develop a 150-megawatt solar-energy project.   In announcing the agreement, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said it will produce $120,000 a year in new revenue for public education.  Avangrid will lease the land for $300 an acre annually for 40 years, compared to the $2 an acre the state received for grazing.  Avangrid communications manager Paul Copleman says the company wants to have the solar farm operational by the end of 2020.  The lease with DNR is part of 2,200 acres Avangrid is seeking for the project, and it has acquired 1,800 acres of public and private land so far.  Copleman says the company is negotiating with a potential buyer for the power the complex will generate.

Legislation by Washington 14th District State Representative Gina Mosbrucker to further investigations of missing and murdered indigenous women and other indigenous persons gained unanimous approval in the state House.  House Bill 1713 continues upon legislation passed last year that brought the Washington State Patrol together with federally recognized tribes, tribal law enforcement, urban Indian organizations and the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs to study and identify the issue of missing Native American women in Washington and report recommendations to the Legislature.  The bill would establish two liaison positions within the State Patrol to further investigations of missing and murdered indigenous women and other indigenous persons.  The measure would also require the WSP to develop a best practices protocol for law enforcement response to missing person reports.  The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

Hood River County School District on regular schedule with buses on snow route.

North Wasco County School District 21 will run on time.

North Wasco County School District 21 will make up four days missed due to closures caused by severe winter weather in February by adding them to the end of the school year.  D-21 Chief Financial Officer Randy Anderson says the district board approved the plan during their meeting last week.  That means the final day of school in D-21 will now be on Wednesday, June 19.  The Dalles High School graduation ceremonies are still scheduled for Saturday, June 8.  Anderson says the district has had to cancel eight full days of school along with delaying the start of the school day by two hours three times in the past month.

The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce this month will be accepting entries for the Roy Webster Columbia River Cross Channel Swim from those who had entered the past two years when the event was cancelled.  Chamber Director of Events Kate Schroeder says they will be opening registration for those who were cancelled two years in a row on Tuesday.  She adds that they will take entries from those who only entered in 2018 in two weeks, then from the general public on April 2.  The swim was cancelled two years ago due to many of the safety volunteers being called to work on the Eagle Creek Fire, and last year windy conditions forced the swim to be called off.