Klickitat County Commissioners are starting their 2018 budget work.  Commissioner David Sauter says the County is in “decent” fiscal shape thanks in part to landfill revenues, and department heads are being asked to submit status quo budgets with no major additions or cuts.  Sauter says they are starting to examine the possibility of combining the many courthouse annex locations they have in Goldendale into one facility, noting most of them are aging buildings with rising maintenance costs.  He adds the County recently an estimate of $450,000 to replace the roof on Courthouse Annex 1.  Sauter did say the main courthouse would not be impacted by any new construction.

Boys Soccer Hood River Valley 9, Pendleton 0:  Erik Siekkinen scored four goals and Erik Pitones tallied two as the Eagles won their Columbia River Conference opener. Hermiston 3, The Dalles 1 Trout Lake 6, Southwest Christian 1   Girls Soccer Hood River Valley 10, Pendleton 0:  Leah Ralph had a hat trick and Claire Davies scored twice as HRV started league play with a win. The Dalles 0, Hermiston 0 King’s Way Christian 6, Stevenson 0   Volleyball Hood River Valley def. Pendleton 25-18, 25-23, 25-22:  The Eagles move into a tie for first with Pendleton in the Columbia River Conference. The Dalles def. Hermiston 25-16, 22-25, 25-22, 23-25, 15-9:  The Riverhawks solidify their hold on third place in the CRC. Columbia def. Seton Catholic 25-15, 25-19, 25-12 LaCenter def. Stevenson 25-12, 25-20, 25-1 Dufur def. Lyle-Wishram 25-8, 25-18, 25-20 Goldendale def. Granger 25-21, 28-26, 18-25, 22-25, 15-11

Hood River City Councilors spent two hours Monday evening discussing downtown parking as a resolution to drop the in-lieu-of parking fee for residential development from over $20,000 to the commercial fee of just over $1,100 died for lack of a second, and then Councilors voted 5-2 to put the fee for both residential and commercial at $10,500.  City officials had made the initial proposal based on Key Development’s request to drop the residential in-lieu parking fee as they consider constructing an apartment building downtown.  But that has brought up a litany of issues related to a tight parking situation in downtown Hood River, and Councilor Mark Zanmiller says he sees the new in-lieu fee as an acknowledgement of the need to develop a systemic solution to downtown parking.  Mayor Paul Blackburn, who joined Councilor Peter Cornelison in voting against the fee change, notes this may bring back discussions around a parking structure.  Councilors are forming a sub-committee to study the issue, and City Manager Steve Wheeler says staff will come up with some ideas to start that process at the next Council meeting in October.

The Dalles City Council has taken action to allow two retail marijuana outlets separated by Interstate 84 but less than one-thousand feet from each other as required under City ordinances to operate.  One of the businesses was the first to receive a license from the state, but the other was given City permits before the buffer requirement was established.  Councilors decided not to pursue any action after coming out of an executive session, and Mayor Steve Lawrence says that resolves this particular issue.  Lawrence adds anybody who applies for a retail marijuana business from now on will be subject to the one-thousand-foot separation rule.

Two reconnaissance flights Monday revealed no significant change in behavior or size of the Eagle Creek Fire.  Crews continue working on suppression repair, chipping, decking trees, and mop-up where the topography and terrain allow.  Hood River County collaborated with resource advisors to finalize a plan for identifying and relocating downed logs out of the eastern flank.  A Burned Area Emergency Response team has been tasked with assessing and prescribing emergency stabilization treatments for the areas that have been most affected by the fire.  A high-pressure system is predicted to create a warming trend this week with gusty east winds on Wednesday and Thursday.  That will mean an increase of isolated smokes from the fire starting today, mostly due to isolated logs continuing to burn.  Fire behavior remains minimal and fire spread is unlikely around most of the fire.  A 95-acre reduction in fire size acreage to 48,573 acres is due to more accurate mapping from an infrared flight on Sunday night.

Two people were taken to a hospital after a two-car accident on Highway 97 in Goldendale Monday afternoon.  According to the Washington State Patrol, a car driven by a 79-year-old Goldendale woman was northbound on Highway 97, turned left to go on to Simcoe Drive, and struck an on-coming car driven by a 58-year-old Goldendale man.  The WSP says both people were injured and taken to Klickitat Valley Hospital with undisclosed injuries.  Both cars were totaled in the accident, which occurred at around 2:50 p.m. on Monday.

The Hood River Marina boat launch ramp will be closed to all vehicles from 10:00 p.m. Thursday until 6:00 a.m. Friday.  Crestline Construction crews will be paving Port Marina Drive and portions of the Marina parking lot as part of a City of Hood River project.

Focus for crews remaining on the Eagle Creek Fire continues to be on repair and cleanup of suppression efforts.  Resource Advisors are now working work with fire crews on protecting and preserving cultural and natural resource values along with historic and recreational feature.  One hand crew will proceed with their work near Wahtum Lake, low stumping and chipping along contingency lines on the south side of the fire.  A hotshot crew will continue their work on the southeast side of the fire and will begin building water bars on a piece of hand line in this area.  Crews have been scouting along Shellrock Mountain trying to identify a safe way for firefighters to engage with the active fire in this area.  On Sunday an engine was able to set up a sprinkler system on an area of live fire near Interstate 84 where fire has been visible from the highway.  Fire officials say there is still a lot of moisture under the tree canopy and they do not expect a change in fire behavior without a significant weather event.

The Oregon State Police says a man who escaped custody while being transported from a psychiatric facility in Pendleton to Bend was located on Sunday.  The OSP says it was advised by the Warm Springs Police Department that 22-year-old Rodrick Edminston was found in a restroom in the vicinity of the Kahneeta Resort on the Warm Springs Reservation.  Edminston was being taken Friday by J&R Secure Transport to Bend when he escaped their custody at the Cow Canyon rest area on Highway 97 about 21 miles south of Maupin in Wasco County.  Lifeways Inc. stated Edminston was being held on a mental health hold.  No criminal charges are pending against him at this time.

The City of Hood River is about to select a firm to design and rebuild Children’s Park.  Mayor Paul Blackburn says the firm Play By Design has been recommended by the park committee from three proposals they received.  Play By Design has been involved in putting together similar structures in Pendleton and Joseph.  The current wooden structure at Children’s Park is 25-years-old, and a portion of it was closed off this year due to safety concerns.  The goal is to build the facility this coming spring to be opened in late May.