The Wasco County Commission approved the County’s budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year.  Commissioner Scott Hege noted the overall total budget number went up to just over 50 million dollars, but that’s related in large part to Mid-Columbia Center For Living building its new facility with a Community Development Block Grant which requires a governmental agency like the County to take on the project.  Hege says the actual County budget saw normal operational increases totaling about one-point-five million dollars.  He did say the Commissioners approved an increase in funding to the North Central Public Health District by about ten percent after a reduction last year.

The White Salmon City Council has made safety moves for both pedestrians and motorists.  The Council has approved the installation of pedestrian “bubble outs” at the corners of Main Street and Jewett Boulevard and Wauna and Jewett, which will be paid for by the Washington State Department of Transportation.  Mayor David Poucher explains the “bubble outs” provide a safe place for pedestrians to begin to enter a crosswalk.  In addition, Councilors approved changing to back-in parking on the south side of Jewett Boulevard.  Poucher says back-in parking is safer because it eliminates people backing in to traffic when they leave a parking spot.

The Hood2River Relay will take place this Saturday, starting at Mt. Hood Meadows and ending at the Port of Hood River’s Marina Green.  It’s the third straight year for the six-sport event that event organizer Chad Sperry says involves downhill skiing, Nordic skiing, mountain biking, road cycling, a run, and kayaking.  Some individuals do the entire event on their own, but many compete in pairs or teams and are in costume while competing.  The relay starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, and competitors should start arriving at Marina Green around noon.  There will be a vendor expo area at the Marina Green open to the public at 11:30 a.m.

Oregon Class 5-A Baseball Semi-Final Hood River Valley 1, Churchill 0:  Patrick Harvey pitched a two-hitter and drove in the game’s only run to lead the defending 5-A champions to a third straight appearance in the tournament final.  Harvey drove in the run in the third inning.  After Morgan Williams walked and Dallas Buckley sacrificed him to second, Harvey drilled a double down the left field line to score Williams.  Harvey gave up the hits in third and seventh inning, but walked no one and struck out four while receiving some stellar defense behind him.  Churchill’s Brock Townsend was as good as advertised on the mound, giving up only three hits and one walk while striking out ten.  HRV moves on to meet Summit for the state 5-A baseball title on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer.

A 41-year-old California man was formally charged with assault in the first degree in Hood River Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon, while a woman is in a coma at a Portland hospital.  Matthew Shane Irwin appeared by video from NORCOR in The Dalles, as Circuit Judge John Olson set a cash bail of $50,000.  According to Hood River Police, officers responding to the citizen’s call Friday found Matthew Irwin’s girlfriend in the backseat of his SUV in a parking lot on West Cascade Avenue.  Hood River County District Attorney John Sewell said in court the woman is in a coma at Portland’s Emanuel Hospital.  Police said they believe the alleged assault took place Thursday evening in Cascade Locks.  Sewell said in court Irwin had been arrested 38 times in California, had done prison time there and had numerous parole and probation violations, has an outstanding warrant out for his arrest from Sacramento County, and was arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants in Wyoming last year and on May 7 in Idaho.  Olson set Irwin’s next court appearance for June 8.  Irwin faces a minimum of 90 months and up to twenty years in prison if convicted on the assault charge.

Information packets will be available beginning Wednesday for citizens interested in running for elected offices in The Dalles this November.  The positions of Mayor, Councilor at Large, Council Position #2 in the west district, and Council Position #4 in the east district will be up for vote.  A candidate must be a registered voter and reside within the city limits at least 12 months immediately before being elected or appointed to office.  If the candidate will represent a district, the candidate must reside in the specific district from which the person seeks nomination for a period of 90 days prior to the election.  No person may be a candidate at a single election for more than one elective City office.  Candidates may obtain nominating petitions and additional information from the City Clerk’s Office at 313 Court Street in The Dalles.  The deadline for filing nominating petitions for City positions is August 30.

The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District will hold two public meetings to discuss proposed improvements for Golden Eagle Park and the adjacent high school baseball fields.  District assistant director Scott Baker says the park is a trailhead for the Indian Creek Trail, is the home of the Carroll Davis Fitness Trail, and is currently heavily wooded and overgrown off the trail.  Preliminary design plans include parking areas, new recreational opportunities, sports courts, a bike skills area, and other elements.  The district has $490,000 available through a state grant that had originally intended for the previously proposed Barrett Park, but it must be used by the end of October.  The meetings are planned for this Thursday at 6 p.m. and Tuesday, June 7 at the same time at the Ty Taylor Fire Station Community Room on 1785 Meyer Parkway.

Oregon Class 5A Baseball Quarterfinal Hood River Valley 2, Ashland 0:  Patrick Harvey hit two home runs  while Connor Coerper pitched a two-hitter to lead HRV to the win and keep their hopes of defending their state championship alive.  The Eagles will host a semi-final game on  Tuesday at Traner Field.   Oregon Class 5A Softball Quarterfinal Lebanon 7, The Dalles 5

Memorial Day observances are planned around the Mid-Columbia on Monday.  In Hood River there will be a ceremony at Idlewilde Cemetery beginning at 11 a.m., with presentations by American Legion Post 22, the Boy Scouts, and an antique aircraft flyover.  This year’s theme is “Bury Me With Soldiers,” and veterans’ plaques will be added to the Bud Collins Walk of Honor.  In The Dalles, there will be a ceremony in front of the Veterans’ Memorial at Kelly Viewpoint at 11 a.m.  Keynote speaker will be VFW Post 2471 chaplain Jeremy Anderson.  A full day of events is planned in the town of Wasco, including a tribute to veterans at 10 a.m. and a parade at 11 a.m.

The Dalles City Planning Commission is sending a series of recommendations to the City Council on zoning for the processing, production, wholesaling, and retailing of recreational marijuana.  When it comes to retail outlets, the recommendations are similar to what is already in place for medical marijuana dispensaries.  Planning Director Dick Gassman says that means there would be one-thousand foot buffers around facilities like playgrounds, schools, and churches.  The recommendation on processing, manufacturing, and growing recreational marijuana calls for limiting those operations to industrial zones.  The planning commission opinions go to the City Council for discussion at that panel’s June 13 meeting.