Authorities in Clackamas County have identified the person who died after a fall on Mount Hood Tuesday as a 47-year-old surgeon who worked at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital.  The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office believes Dr. Cory Johnston died in a skiing accident.  A person who climbs with Portland Mountain Rescue called 911 Tuesday afternoon to report finding a person who had fallen at about 9,400 feet.  Johnston was wearing ski boots and was found at an area known as Illumination Saddle.  The sheriff’s office said Johnston died later Tuesday.  His body was recovered Tuesday evening.

North Central Public Health District says it is monitoring developments regarding the coronavirus in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority.  In a statement, District Director Teri Thalofer said there are still no cases in Oregon and risk remains low as the state’s investigation continues.  OHA will begin weekly updates on persons under monitoring and persons under investigation for novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, as state epidemiologists, local public health officials and federal partners continue their investigation of the disease.  Every Tuesday OHA will post data on persons being monitored or investigated for the virus on its healthoregon.org website.  Those who are monitored are individuals who do not have COVID-19 symptoms but may have been exposed through a close contact with a confirmed case or travel to mainland China.  Those under investigation have COVID-19 symptoms — but not necessarily the virus — who have had one of these exposures.  OHA is notifying local health departments as they are informed by the CDC about Oregonians reentering the country after travelling to China.   NCPHD is working with community partners in healthcare to coordinate our response in the a case is identified in the community, adding everyday actions like washing hands often with soap and water, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands and contacting people who are sick, staying home when sick, and covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing can help prevent the spread of many respiratory illnesses.

Oregon Class 1A Boys Basketball Playoffs

First Round

South Wasco 72, Elgin 45:  The Redsides used 14 Garrett Olson points to build a 38-22 halftime lead and won easily at home. Olson finished with 25, complementing Oscar Thomas, who scored 29, 20 of which came after halftime. Tristan Sampson led Elgin with 15 points.  The Redsides meet Joseph on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Enterprise High School in a second round game.

Dufur 62, Life Christian 61, overtime:  The Rangers shocked the third-ranked team in the OSAA Class 1A rankings.  Dufur visits Crosshill Christian for a second round game on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Momentum is building toward a proposed public plaza to be located on Federal Street between First and Second Street in downtown The Dalles.  Last week about 40 to 50 people participated in what is known as a “charrette” to discuss potential options.  The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays says the goal is to create a place for people to gather, which he notes similar cities have.  The plaza would be established adjacent to the former Tony’s Town and Country Building, which is about to be redeveloped.  The group that met last week will get back together once a consultant prepares some alternative layouts.

Boys Basketball

Hood River Valley 64, The Dalles 55:  Alex Arbogast hit two three-pointers and then Emanuel Romero scored seven straight points as the Eagles forced three Riverhawk turnovers in the backcourt in a 13-2 flurry over the span of about 45 seconds midway through the fourth quarter to lift the Eagles to the win.  Noah Webster led Hood River with 25 points, while Romero added 12.  Spencer Taylor scored 16 points for The Dalles, while Styles DeLeon contributed 13.  The Eagles finished with their second straight winning season for the first time since 1993 and 1994.

 

Girls Basketball

The Dalles 56, Hood River Valley 25:  The Riverhawks scored 20 third quarter points to blow the game open.   Kilee Hoylman and Raine Codding lead the Hawks with 12 points each and Lauryn Belanger added 11.  The Dalles finishes third in the Intermountain Conference and awaits learning their opponent in the first round of the Oregon Class 5A playoffs on Friday, March 6.

 

Oregon Class 1A Girls Basketball Playoffs

First Round

Country Christian 69, South Wasco 52:  South Wasco used the three-point shot to get out to a 14-3 lead, but the Cougars came back to take an eight-point lead at the half and turned up the defense in the second half to pull away.  Annie Bafford had a career-high 26 points, including five three-pointers to pace Country Christian.  Jade McCoy and Kylie Iverson combined for 27 points in the loss for South Wasco County.

There have been plenty of applications for the vacant Position 3 on The Dalles City Council.  Six people have applied to fill the seat that was left vacant when Russ Brown resigned.  The six to apply so far are Scott Randall, Lindsay Giamei, John Grant, Dan Richardson, Donna Lawrence, and Jeffry Stiles.  Applications for the position, which represents the east side of The Dalles, will be taken through next Wednesday (March 4) at 4 p.m.  For information on how to apply and the qualifications required, go to the City’s website.  The Council will interview applicants at its March 16 meeting.

Washington State House and Senate Democrats released their proposed 2020 supplemental operating budgets Monday after the state’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council said the state would collect an additional $1.1billion over the next four years, and Goldendale Republican Representative Gina Mosbrucker is advocating sending some money back to taxpayers.  Mosbrucker is on the House Appropriations Committee, and she thinks with a budget surplus of $2.4 billion, a billion dollars should in some way be distributed back to taxpayers.  A Republican-backed bill proposes just that.  The supplemental budget proposals by majority Democrats do address homelessness issues that have been a priority this session, with the House allocating about $235 million to them and the Senate $140 million.

The U.S. Forest Service will release online permits on Sunday for hikers headed to Dog Mountain on weekends from April 18 to June 14.  The permits are required to ensure public safety near Dog Mountain Trailhead, where congestion during the spring wildflower hiker rush created annual congestion and at least one fatal accident before permits were required in 2018.  Every hiker on the Dog Mountain Trail system on Saturdays and Sundays between April 18 to June 14 will be required to carry a permit, or digital proof of one.  Anyone parking at Dog Mountain Trailhead will need to reserve one permit for each person online at recreation.gov and pay the $1 non-refundable per person administrative fee in addition to paying the recreation site fee of $5 per car.  Valid Northwest Forest or interagency federal passes are accepted as a form of paying the recreation fee but are not a substitute for having the per person permit.  Hikers can also obtain permits by riding a Skamania County West End Transit bus shuttle from the Skamania County Fairgrounds in Stevenson to the Dog Mountain trailhead, which is $2 roundtrip and includes a permit.  The shuttle runs about every half hour from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends from April 18 to June 14.

Klickitat County Commissioner David Sauter is hopeful that a bill to designate the proposed Goldendale Pumped Storage Project as a “Project of Statewide Significance” will pass the Washington State Senate.  Sauter notes the bill has already passed the House unanimously, and has a hearing before a Senate committee on Tuesday.  Sauter has been talking with legislators about the bill, noting the most important thing is the attention the designation would give the project.  Sauter notes there would be no shortcuts through the permitting process, but it is helpful when the involved agencies are focused on the project.

The Dalles Public Works crews will paint fresh markings at the Webber Street railroad crossing on Tuesday and Wednesday beginning at 7 a.m. each day, weather permitting.  The railroad crossing will be closed to all traffic in both directions during working hours from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days.  Motorists and bicyclists area asked to use detours around the work zone during those hours.  The street will be reopened to the traveling public each day after the paint has dried completely.