Hood River City Councilors appointed one new member to the municipal budget committee, but there are three more spots available to interested citizens.  City Manager Steve Wheeler says to apply just go to City Hall at 211 2nd Street or call 541-386-1488.  There will be three to four committee meetings during the upcoming budget process.  In other business, the City of Hood River has awarded a contract to Wastewater Solids Management of Yachats to do a cleanout of the south digester of the municipal wastewater treatment plant.  Wheeler said the work has needed to be done for some time, but they had difficulty finding a contractor because of the small size of the digester compared to other similar plants.

Baseball Barlow 4, Hood River Valley 1:  Jaren Hunter drove in three runs with a tiebreaking bases loaded double in the sixth inning while giving up only one hit over six innings on the mound.  Connor Coerper had a good first start on the mound for HRV, giving up only one unearned run on one hit while striking out nine and walking none over five innings. The Dalles 5, Reynolds 0 Stanfield 12, Columbia 2 Washougal sweeps Stevenson 13-3 and 8-0  

Hood River County officials are indicating they will have a list of proposed cuts to close a one-point-six million dollar budget deficit for the 2018-19 fiscal year at the first meeting of the County’s budget committee on April 5.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says he expects to bring to the panel a list of potential reductions, with some in the budget and others that could possibly be enacted to give the committee options.  The budget committee includes five members appointed by the County Commission, along with the Commission itself.  County Commissioners are looking at revenue generating possibilities to place on the November ballot.

It’s going to a busy spring at the Port of The Dalles.  Four construction projects are planned and will get underway soon.  Port Executive Director Andrea Klass says one will be right across from the Port office.  It’s a 14,000 square foot commercial spec building.  The Port is going to be working with the Northern Wasco Parks and Recreation District on an Oregon State Parks grant funded project to expand the Klindt Cove park area. Also, the Bonneville Power Administration acquired land near the new Google project for substation expansion, and a veterinary hospital will be building a new facility by the Columbia River.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew Sunday morning rescued an injured hiker from the Wind River Canyon above the Carson Hot Springs Resort.  The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says 29-year-old Angel Vaillencort was hiking in the Wind River drainage searching for the natural hot springs, but slipped and fell about 30 feet, landing on her back.  Her hiking companion, 25-year-old Anthony Casario of Battle Ground, called 9-1-1, where emergency crews found Vaillencourt to be conscious but seriously injured.  Because of the difficult terrain a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew from Astoria was called in to conduct a hoist operation over 200 feet, and took her to Emanuel Hospital in Portland.  Vaillencort told Coast Guard crew members she had consumed methamphetamine prior to the fall, and Casario was taken into custody and booked into the Skamania County Jail on charges of criminal trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia.

There will be intermittent, single-lane closures of the Hood River/White Salmon Interstate Bridge today and Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m.   Port crews are performing winter clean-up work.  Flaggers will direct traffic and minimal delays are expected.

Skiing Hood River Valley finished second in the girls team and boys and girls combined team standings at the Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association championships at Mt. Bachelor.  HRV’s Josie Peterson finished second in both the girls’ slalom and individual combined to lead the Eagle effort.  Christopher McElwee was ninth in the boys’ giant slalom and tenth In the individual combined, as the Eagles finished fifth in the boys’ team standings.  Maddie Gragg of The Dalles was 32^nd in the girls’ individual combined.   Track and Field Lyle-Wishram’s Brandon Montoya won both the boys’ 100 and 300 meters at the Eisenhower Jamboree to open the high school track and field season.  Glenwood’s Brooklyn Emerson won the girls’ pole vault, and Lyle-Wishram’s Larisa McConville was first in the girls’ javelin.   Baseball Royal swept Goldendale 18-7 and 11-0.

By a three-to-two vote, the Port of Hood River Commission has decided to move forward with a plan to create paid parking on a portion of the Waterfront.  The plan would involve establishing paid parking on Portway East in front of the Event Site, First Street, and the parking lot west of the Jensen Building, in addition to what is already established at the Event Site, as recommended by an ad-hoc committee.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says this only impacts Port-owned areas of the waterfront, and represents areas with high maintenance demands.  Currently parking rates would be two dollars per hour on Portway East and First Street, and one dollar at the Jensen West lot, but McElwee says specific prices may change as input is received from the public and businesses.  Target date for implementation is this June.  Hoby Streich, Brian Shortt, and John Everitt voted in favor of moving forward, and David Meriwether and Ben Sheppard were against.

Oregon 59th District State Representative Daniel Bonham’s bill to spur projects through the “Good Neighbor Authority” agreement with the U.S. Forest Service got through both the Senate and the House, and has moved on to the Governor for her signature.  Bonham says the bill will set aside money to allow the state forestry and fish and wildlife departments to do projects on federal land as allowed by the agreement.  Bonham was in his first session in the Legislature, having been appointed late last year to fill the term of John Huffman, who resigned to take a federal appointment.  

Klickitat PUD is planning a power outage starting at 11:59 p.m. Saturday and continuing until 9 a.m. on Sunday to allow the Bonneville Power Administration and the PUD to perform substation and line maintenance.  This outage will affect all customers in the towns of Bingen, White Salmon, Trout Lake, Glenwood, BZ, Husum, the Gilmer Valley, Northwestern Lake, Spring Creek, Oakridge Rd, and Rattlesnake Rd.  PUD officials say the times for the outage are based on the best information they had available ahead of time, so customers should be aware that the power could come back on at any time without prior notice.  Those with questions can call Klickitat PUD at 1-800-548-8357 and ask for the Operations Department.