The White Salmon City Council heard a presentation from WMS Aquatics on how it would build a planned new swimming pool.  The firm’s Wayne Smith said he could get the pool built for about one-point-five million dollars.  Another proposal has come from a community group to create a park district to build and operate the facility.  Mayor David Poucher says City officials now have the information in front them to make a decision on which direction they want to go.  The City has been hoping to get a new pool on track to be constructed for the 2019 season, provided funding is in place to move forward.

A bill sponsored by Washington 14th District Representative Gina McCabe that would help identify missing Native American women has unanimously passed the state House.  It would require the Washington State Patrol (WSP) to work with tribal law enforcement and the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs to conduct a study to increase state resources for reporting and identifying missing Native American women throughout Washington state.  A recent report from the National Institute of Justice found that more than four out of five Native American women have experienced violence in their lives, with the Centers for Disease Control noting in 2016 that homicide is the third leading cause of death among Native American women between the ages of 10 and 24.  The Department of Justice has also reported Native American women are 10 times more likely to be murdered than other Americans.  The bill has moved on to the Senate.

The Port of Hood River Commission reached consensus to revise draft rules on potential public-private partnerships for a new Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge to not allow consideration of unsolicited proposals.  The move follows advice the Commission received from experts in a recent worksession to not take proposals until late in or after the environmental impact statement process.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says Oregon Department of Transportation rules show if you receive an unsolicited proposal, you immediately have to go to a request for proposals.  Port staff will revise the draft to present to the Commission at their next meeting in two weeks, and then the draft would be post it on the Port’s website and prepare for a public hearings process, with planned adoption of the rules in early May.

Boys Basketball Hermiston 71, Hood River Valley 69, overtime:  The Bulldogs’ Andrew Earl scored his only points to tie the game at the end of the regulation, then Hermiston came from behind in overtime to grab the win.  Jonah Tactay led Hood River with 19 points, 17 in the 4^th quarter and overtime.  Ryne Andreason led the Bulldogs with 19, including a key three-pointer in the extra session. Pendleton 57, The Dalles 50:  The Riverhawks came from 12 down in the fourth quarter to get within three with just over a minute to play, but couldn’t get over the top.  Tyler Newsome paced Pendleton with 22 points.  Jacob Hernandez scored 18 and Dakota Murr 13 for The Dalles. Yakama Tribal 66, Sherman 51 Washington Class 2B District Play-In:  White Swan 64, Lyle-Wishram 51   Girls Basketball Pendleton 60, The Dalles 30 Hermiston 46, Hood River Valley 24 Yakama Tribal 68, Sherman 23 Washington Class 2B District Play-In:  DeSales 56, Lyle-Wishram 15

Hood River County Commissioners heard a common theme from the vast majority of those who testified at a public hearing on a two percent sales tax Commissioners are considering placing on the May ballot:  they’re opposed to it.  Many of those who packed the County Administration Building meeting room were business owners who believe a sales tax would drive away tourists and locals alike.  County Commission Chair Ron Rivers says he expected the feedback they received, and said the panel listened and would be open to other ideas to generate revenue.  Commissioners have been considering the sales tax measure as the County faces a one-point-six million dollar budget shortfall and the prospect of service cuts.  Another hearing will take place at the Commission’s February 20 meeting, at which point the Commission will decide whether to put the sales tax on the May primary ballot.

The large majority of those who spoke during a one-hour town hall before The Dalles City Council on a proposed exclusion zone ordinance were against it, citing it as unnecessarily punishing the homeless and other vulnerable populations and difficult to enforce.  Barb Seater of Mid-Columbia Center For Living was among those who spoke against the idea, saying people who need services will be less likely to seek them for fear of being stopped.  A pair of small business owners pointed out the need to provide education and skills training to those in need of jobs to help them make enough money to find a place to live.  The exclusion zone ordinance would allow for repeat offenders of various misdemeanors to be banished from two different downtown areas for up to 90 days if a court determines the person chooses not to accept help, refuses work crew, or fails to complete other forms of accountability.

A White Salmon woman is running for the Washington State House.  Sasha Bentley told the Yakima Herald-Republic she has filed as a Democrat with the state Public Disclosure Commission, and will do the same with the Washington Secretary of State’s office during the official filing period in May.  Bentley will seek the 14th District’s position one, currently held by Yakima Republican Norm Johnson, who will be seeking a sixth term in the Legislature.  Bentley is 30-years-old, and works as a consultant in the legal industry.  

Wasco County is seeking volunteers to serve on the County’s Wolf Compensation Committee.  The panel reviews applications for compensation to persons who suffer death of injury to livestock or working dogs that is attributed to wolf depredation as well as compensation for certain missing animals that qualify, and financial assistance to persons who implement livestock management techniques or nonlethal wolf deterrence techniques designed to discourage wolf/livestock interactions and reduce wolf depredations.  The Wolf Compensation Committee is appointed by the County Commissioner and consists of two livestock producers, two wolf advocates, a County Commissioner, and two local businesspersons nominated by the rest of the committee.  Applications are available on the Wasco County website or at the Commission office at 511 Washington Street, Suite 101, in The Dalles.  Deadline for submission is February 28.  For more information call 541-506-2520.

The Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division is launching *OSP, or *677, as a fast and easy way to call an Oregon State Police Dispatch Center for Turn-In-Poachers reporting of wildlife and/or habitat law violations or other suspicious activity from a mobile phone.  *OSP is a mobile phone direct call number established to provide the public with a quick, easy to remember number to use for non-emergency reporting of fish and wildlife violations, traffic safety, highway hazards and obstructions, minor crashes, and requests for assistance.  *OSP is not an emergency number and 9-1-1 still remains the emergency number to call for an emergency.  *OSP rings directly into the State Police Dispatch center and is answered by a live dispatcher 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  If you have an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife license or tag the TIP phone number is listed on the back.

Long-time Hood River Municipal Court Judge and well-known local attorney Will Carey passed away over the weekend at the age of 76.  The City of Hood River confirmed the passing of Carey in a release Monday morning announcing municipal court matters scheduled for Tuesday are being postponed to February 13.  Carey served as Hood River’s Municipal Court Judge for 37 years.  He also was legal counsel for Hood River County for a number of years, and was still handling land-use matters for the County along with providing legal guidance to NORCOR.  Carey was a graduate of the University of Oregon law school, and maintained a private law practice in Hood River since 1974.  Carey served as a U.S. Army Captain in Vietnam, and received military honors for injuries sustained during the Tet Offensive in 1968.  He was active in numerous service organizations in Hood River.  City officials said he would be remembered for his sincere caring for all defendants who entered his courtroom and for his longstanding commitment to the community.  Judge Pro Tem Ruben Cleaveland will serve as Hood River Municipal Judge on an interim basis.  People with matters before the Court are advised to call 541-386-3942 if alternative scheduling arrangements are needed.