The latest update today from the Natural Resources Conservation Service puts the snow water equivalent in the Hood, Sandy, and Deschutes Basin at 40 percent of normal, which is up from 24 percent a week ago, underscoring the variability of those numbers as the winter goes on.  NRCS Oregon Snow Survey Supervisor Scott Oviatt says they’ve seen wide swings in variables during the course of winters over the last 15 to 20 years, and the peak numbers usually come in late March, determining what kind of runoff can be expected.  The snow survey’s water supply outlook report comes out later this week and will be based on January 1 numbers, which were lower than they are now.

Boys Basketball

Hood River Valley 59, St. Helens 47:  Ian Searcy scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half as HRV broke open a close game in the fourth quarter.  Noah Webster added 14 points for the Eagles.  Joe Rea led St. Helens with 20.

Dufur 62, South Wasco 51:  Cooper Bales tallied 21 points to lead the victorious Rangers.  Garrett Olson topped the Redsides with 22.

Sherman 41, Horizon Christian 32

Riverside 86, Lyle-Wishram 9

Goldendale 70, Highland 31

 

Girls Basketball

Tualatin 57, The Dalles 25

St. Helens 45, Hood River Valley 36:  Morgan Baker and Hannayo Soto scored 11 points apiece as the Eagles gave a scrappy effort against the Lions, who were led by 21 points from Madison Holm.

Stevenson 56, Columbia 43:  Cassie Macnab scored 19 points and Katie Rahtgeber 12 as the Bulldogs won the Trico League opener.  Sydney Aman had 13 for CHS.

Dufur 46, South Wasco 34

Riverside 53, Lyle-Wishram 19

Highland 44, Goldendale 31

 

Wrestling

Hood River Valley 43, Madras 35:  Chad Muenzer, Jayton Muenzer, Caleb DeHart, Javier Galvez, and Abraham Tinajaro all had wins by fall for HRV.

As 2020 begins, Wasco County Commissioner Kathy Schwartz hopes the County can push out more information to the general public.  Schwartz is working with a team of county employees to find ways to do that, saying social media is one outlet available but that can be complex for a government agency.  She also says other governments have done it, and so can they.  Schwartz says they can start small with things like pushing out meeting agendas and being welcoming to those who come in for information.  She adds public communication is part of the County’s strategic plan.

 

Trainings will be done over the next couple of months for those who would look like to volunteer to become a part of the Mid-Columbia Community Emergency Response Team.  CERT Coordinator Lynette Black says the team is designed to train volunteers to be able to be first responders during major disasters when professional first responders are overwhelmed or are prevented from reaching an area.  The trainings are far reaching, ranging from preparedness and mitigation to fire, utility, and hazardous material management.  The trainings require a 24-hour commitment, and are being offered in various schedules at Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue in The Dalles.  To learn more, call Black at 503-806-7132.

 

Boys Basketball

The Dalles 70, Stevenson 48…The Riverhawks moved their record to 4-8 on the season.

North Wasco County School District 21 will hold another Long Range Facilities Planning community meeting next week.  This meeting is expected to finalize a draft plan for the next 10 to 15 years after attendees at a December meeting reached consensus to put replacement of The Dalles High School on the top of a list of things to do, followed by the district’s elementary schools.  D-21 Chief Financial Officer Randy Anderson points out this plan does not try to address how to do this financially, but simply serve as a road map.  The D-21 board will have to approve the plan, which would probably happen February.  The community meeting will be next Tuesday, January 14, at 6 p.m. in The Dalles Middle School library.

The weekly “Locals Wednesday” events in downtown Hood River have started with the beginning of the New Year.  Downtown businesses and the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce have stated the promotion with the City agreeing to free parking for local residents on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. through May, along with different events and activities for families.  Downtown business owner Stephanie Adams says “Locals Wednesday” was developed in part as a response to feedback the Chamber received about local residents not feeling welcome downtown.  Downtown businesses will be offering various family activities, including a scavenger hunt that will be starting next week.  For more information, go to Hood River Downtown’s Facebook page.

The group Lift Every Voice Oregon, made up of leaders from different faiths, has submitted three petitions for gun control measures to appear on the November 2020 ballot.  The measures would restrict the sale of semi-automatic firearms through tightened background checks, raise the minimum purchase age from 18 to 21 and ban the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines.  One of the chief petitioners, Rabbi Michael Cahana, says faith leaders see addressing gun violence as a “moral imperative.”  Faith leaders, including Cahana, tried to get a similar measure restricting semi-automatic weapon sales on the ballot in 2018 in the wake of shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school, but that effort ran into legal issues.  If the state approves this year’s initiatives, backers will need to gather at least 112-thousand signatures this spring to get them onto the ballot.

Boys Basketball

Reynolds 63, Hood River Valley 58

Milwaukie 82, The Dalles 68

Hudson’s Bay 84, Stevenson 67

Corbett 59, Columbia 41

Dufur 64, Echo 22

Ione 68, Dufur 64, overtime

Ione 67, South Wasco 49

South Wasco 91, Echo 23

Condon-Wheeler 55, Sherman 39

Sherman 50, Mitchell-Spray 49

Horizon Christian 55, St. Stephen’s Academy 53, overtime

Bickleton 57, Lyle-Wishram 32

 

Girls Basketball

South Albany 51, Hood River Valley 27

Corbett 65, Columbia 48

Columbia 58, Fort Vancouver 30

Tenino 47, Stevenson 35

Echo 53, Dufur 47

Dufur 63, Ione 33

South Wasco 48, Ione 46, overtime

Echo 56, South Wasco 41
Condon-Wheeler 52, Sherman 23

Sherman 32, Mitchell-Spray 20

Lyle-Wishram 60, Klickitat-Glenwood 28

 

Wrestling

Hood River Valley finished sixth and The Dalles 14^th at the Don York Tournament at Cleveland High School in Portland.  HRV’s Chad Muenzer won the 138 pound title, while Dusty Dodge of The Dalles won at 170 pounds.  In the girls’ portion of the tournament, HRV was fourth and The Dalles 18^th.  Gracie McCafferty and Aryn Dahlstrom won their divisions for Hood River.

 

Goldendale finished 11^th at the Blackhawk Invitational in Cheney, with Bryce Waddell earning a third place finish at 126 pounds.

 

Alpine Skiing

Hood River Valley’s girls were third and The Dalles 14^th at the season opening Kelsey’s Race at Mount Hood Meadows.  Eva Jones was the top finisher for the Eagles in ninth, while Lucy Booth was 37^th for the Riverhawks.  In the boys’ race, The Dalles was 23^rd while HRV did not have a complete team finish.  Aidan Gonzalez-Haynie did finish in 21^st for Hood River.

Two meetings are set over the next three days that will determine who will succeed Cliff Bentz as Oregon State Senator for District 30.  Bentz’s resignation to run for the Congressional seat being vacated by the retiring Greg Walden became effective on Thursday.  Republican Party officials from eleven counties, including Wasco, will meet in John Day tomorrow to nominate candidates.  Bentz is a Republican, and under state law the party of the departing legislator picks at least three candidates.  Two people have publicly thrown their hat into the ring:  The Dalles City Councilor Rod Runyon and current Oregon State Representative Lynn Findley of Vale.  County Commissioners will then gather in Ontario on Monday to pick the new senator.  The Commissioner vote is weighted so each county gets one vote for every 1,000 registered voters.  The majority of the votes in this case come from Deschutes, Wasco, Malheur, Jefferson, and Baker counties.