The Hood River County Christmas Project will start to take sign-ups for food and toy boxes on Thursday.  The Christmas Project has been an annual effort in Hood River since 1923. Low-income families in Hood River County are eligible receive a box from the Christmas Project.  The first sign-up session will be Thursday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Diamond Fruit’s cafeteria in Odell.  Another is planned for Saturday morning from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Hood River FISH Food Bank on 1130 Tucker Road.  More sign-up opportunities will be available over the next month, for a complete schedule and eligibility information go online to hoodrivercountychristmasproject.com.

An escaped debris burn near Tygh Valley has burned about 500 acres.  According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, strong winds on Sunday pushed the Shadybrook Fire through grass and other light fuels, spreading into oak and brush in some of the surrounding draws.  Fireline was constructed around most of the fire by late Sunday evening and forward progress was stopped.  There were no structures damaged by the fire.  Two five person ODF crews, three ODF engines, two U.S. Forest Service engines and overhead personnel were completing fireline today and working to find and extinguish hotspots.  Firefighters from Tygh Valley, Wamic, and Juniper Flat fire departments were also involved in the suppression effort.

Cross Country Hood River Valley has won the OSAA Class 5A girls’ cross country championship in a dominating performance in Eugene, finishing 51 points in front of Wilsonville and Crater. HRV’s Frances Dickinson was the individual champion in a time of 18:40 while teammate Brinna Weiseth was in second two seconds back. Josephine Dickinson was fifth, and Evelyn Nunez ninth.  It’s the second time Hood River Valley has won a state girls’ cross country title, winning the 3A title in 1992, and follows up a second place finish last year.  Frances Dickinson is the third Eagle to win the state individual girls’ cross country title, joining Christy Paul in 2001 and Grace Grim in 2012.  The Dalles finished ninth, with Emma Mullins the top Riverhawk runner in 20th. Hood River Valley was sixth as a team in the 5A boys’ race, led by an 11th place finish by Josh Haynes and 14th by Omar Quintana.  Sam Alvarez of The Dalles was 19th. Columbia was 12^th and Goldendale 14^th in the Washington Class 1A Boys Cross Country Championships in Pasco.  Top local finishers were Goldendale’s Lucas Anderson in 25^th and Dylan Beneventi of Columbia in 27^th. Goldendale was 11^th in the Washington Class 1A Girls Cross Country meet.  Ellie Rising of Goldendale was 29^th, Joules Hope of Columbia 31^st, and Isabella Spencer of Stevenson 41^st. Trout Lake finished seventh in the Washington Class B Girls Cross County Championships.  Lauren Peck was the top Mustang finisher in 34^th.   Oregon Class 5A Volleyball Tournament The Hood River Valley Eagles volleyball team won the fourth place trophy at the OSAA Class 5A tournament in Hillsboro, finishing with a 10-25, 25-21, 25-20, 22-25, 15-13 win over Crater.   HRV’s Katie Kennedy was named to the first squad of the all-tournament team.   Southwest Washington Class 1A District Volleyball Tournament King’s Way Christian def. Columbia 19-25, 25-15, 25-15, 25-18   Oregon Class 1A Football Playoffs First Round Dufur 62, Bonanza 7:  The Rangers will host Camas Valley in a quarter-final game on Saturday at 1 p.m.   Southwest Washington Class 1A District Playoff Montesano 22, Columbia 7   Regular Season Football Lyle-Wishram 44, North Beach 12:  The Cougars play at Garfield-Palouse in a play-in game on Tuesday. Wapato 41, Goldendale 6  

Ballots in Oregon must be returned to County election offices or official drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Tuesday.  Latest numbers in the local area show 50.51 percent of ballots have been returned in Hood River County, while Wasco County is at 44.98 percent.  In Hood River County ballots can be taken to the County Administration Building at 601 State Street in Hood River or to Cascade Locks City Hall.  In Wasco County take ballots to the Courthouse on 511 Washington Street in The Dalles or to Maupin City Hall.  In Washington ballots must only be postmarked by Tuesday.  In Klickitat County there are twelve drop box locations while in Skamania County there are seven, go to county auditor’s office websites for a complete list.

The Wasco County Crisis Response Team recently held a tabletop exercise with the scenario of a potential active shooter at a school.  Along with Wasco County emergency response agencies, representatives from Hood River, Sherman, and Gilliam counties along with the FBI took part.  North Wasco County School District 21 Superintendent Candy Armstrong says this kind of exercise helps to prepare them to respond to a variety of emergency situations, adding reunification of students and parents was an emphasis.  Armstrong points out that during major emergency incidents, they’ve been told cell phone services go down very quickly.  

Hood River was a busy place in September and October.  Hood River County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michael Glover reports that lodgers in the area say they did good business during the early fall months, with some reporting above 90 percent occupancy rates.  Glover notes this year they had a lot of media attention for Hood River as a “fall drive” destination, especially for the Hood River Fruit Loop.  He says it wasn’t all about the weather, adding the visitors were coming from all over, not just the Portland area.

The H.W. Hill Renewable Natural Gas Project located at the Republic Services Regional Landfill in Roosevelt has begun gas injection and sales into the Williams Northwest pipeline system.  The Klickitat Public Utility District says the service started on Friday.  Under a 15-year purchase and sales agreement with IGI Resources, a subsidiary of BP North America, the H.W. Hill Renewable Natural Gas project will be one of the largest and most efficient renewable natural gas projects in the world.   According to the PUD, the utility and its contractors will continue to optimize the new facility to maximize the efficiency and reliability of this project.  A public dedication ceremony is planned in the spring.

The Dalles Public Works Department is reminding homeowners to take a few simple steps to reduce the risk of burst pipes before freezing weather sets in.  Drain or blow out all irrigation systems, remove hoses from outside faucets and install an insulated cover on faucets, insulate or install heat tape on water pipes exposed to the cold, and if you have installed heat tapes, check to be sure they are working.  Make sure all foundation vents are closed or plugged, secure basements against the cold, fill drafty cracks, and repair broken windows.  Look for your main shut-off valve, usually located where the water pipe enters your house.  If you do not have a main shut-off valve, install one in case of emergency.  And check that your water meter is insulated by lifting the small metal door on your water meter.  If the thermal blanket is missing, call the Public Works Department.

The body of a Kelso teenager reported missing while hiking near Lava Canyon in mid-October has been found.  The Skamania County Sheriff’s office says the body of 18-year-old Garrett Canada was found in the Swift Reservoir eighteen miles east of Cougar on Saturday by a group of scouts who were staying at a nearby campground.  Canada was reported missing on October 15 while hiking near Lava Canyon.  An extensive multi-day search was conducted at the time and evidence suggested he had fallen into the water.  Canada’s body was transported to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s office for autopsy.

Hood River Valley has won the OSAA Class 5A girls’ cross country championship in a dominating performance in Eugene, finishing 51 points in front of Wilsonville and Crater. HRV’s Frances Dickinson was the individual champion in a time of 18:40 while teammate Brinna Weiseth was in second two seconds back. Josephine Dickinson was fifth, and Evelyn Nunez ninth.  It’s the second time Hood River Valley has won a state girls’ cross country title, winning the 3A title in 1992, and follows up a second place finish last year.  Frances Dickinson is the third Eagle to win the state individual girls’ cross country title, joining Christy Paul in 2001 and Grace Grim in 2012.  The Dalles finished ninth, with Emma Mullins the top Riverhawk runner in 20th. Hood River Valley was sixth as a team in the 5A boys’ race, led by an 11th place finish by Josh Haynes and 14th by Omar Quintana.  Sam Alvarez of The Dalles was 19th.