Hood River County Commissioners and Planning Commissioners held a joint meeting to discuss two major issues they will be discussing in coming weeks:  short-term rental regulations and a time, place, and manner ordinance for marijuana businesses.  County Administrator David Meriwether says there is a common thread in both of those issues:  determining in what zones the uses would be allowed.  In both cases, the planning commission will start the process of developing ordinances.  Public processes will begin at that panel, with recommendations to go to the County Commission.

The Senate has passed a resolution co-sponsored by Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to celebrate the upcoming 100^th anniversary of the Historic Columbia River Highway.  Wyden says the road which was America’s first scenic highway offers both remarkable views of the Columbia Gorge and a uniquely historic example of innovative engineering.  Merkley calls the restoration of the historic highway a testament to the vision and determination of many Oregonians.  The 75-mile long scenic highway is a National Historic Landmark designed by Samuel C. Lancaster, running between Troutdale and The Dalles.  It is the first scenic highway in the United States and the first modern highway in the Pacific Northwest.  It is also a popular tourist destination, bringing in thousands of visitors annually to hike and bike its trails.

Members of the Oregon Solutions Historic Columbia River Highway Collaborative have signed a Declaration of Cooperation outlining goals for the project.  The collaborative made up of more than a dozen stakeholder groups seeks to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety along the Columbia River Highway and enhance visitor experiences.  Specific commitments include establishing an Oregon Department of Transportation “Gorge Express” pilot transfer service between Rooster Rock State Park to Multnomah Falls, improving safety for pedestrians and drivers accessing the Gorge, seeking additional funding for future transportation and congestion relief projects, increasing availability of public safety officers to control high-traffic locations, and developing short, medium, and long term congestion management strategies.  Participating members of the project will continue to meet over the coming months.

Girls Golf Iliana Telles of The Dalles is tied for fourth after one round at the Oregon State Class 5A High School Girls Golf Tournament at Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks.  Telles shot a five-over-par 77, leaving her even with Danielle Giles of  Crater.  They are ten shots back of the leader, Crater’s Kiana Oshiro.  Oshiro is six shots ahead of the field after shooting a five-under-par 67 today.  Round two is today.   Boys Golf The Dalles is sixth after the first round of the Oregon Class 5A High School Boys Golf Tournament at Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis.  Chase Snodgrass led the Riverhawks with a three-over-par 75, leaving him in a tie for tenth, four shots out of the lead.  The Dalles shot 39-over-par as a team.  Summit is the leader at eight-over-par…16 shots clear of the field.

Time is running out to turn in ballots for Oregon’s primary election.  Ballots must be returned to election offices or official drop box locations by 8 p.m. on Tuesday.  In Hood River County ballots can be turned in at the County Administration Building on 601 State Street in Hood River and at Cascade Locks City Hall on 140 WaNaPa Street.  In Wasco County, ballot drop boxes are located at the County Courthouse on 511 Washington Street and at Maupin City Hall on Deschutes Avenue.  Along with the presidential and state office primaries, local votes of note are taking place on Hood River County ballot measures to prohibit the large-scale bottling of water and a 57 million dollar bond measure for the Hood River County School District, while Wasco County voters are making a decision in a County Commission race between incumbent Steve Kramer and challenger Rodger Nichols.

The Oregon State Police is asking the public for help in identifying next-of-kin of a homeless man who was found dead last week at a campsite off Interstate 84 near milepost 79 west of The Dalles.  He has been identified as 69-year-old Donald Vernon Delavergne, who most recently was using the last name Wonder.  Delavergne’s body was discovered by a local Good Samaritan who had befriended and assisted him.  The OSP has taken extensive measures in an effort to locate and identify any possible next-of-kin without success.  Delavergne is believed to have lived in the Willamette Valley over 20 years ago, specifically in the Forest Grove area.  It is also believed he may have relatives on the East Coast of the United States.  Anyone familiar with Delavergne or know of next-of-kin is asked to contact OSP Senior Trooper Michael Holloran at 541-296-9646, extension 5330.  The circumstances surrounding Delavergne’s death are not suspicious and are being investigated by the Wasco County Medical Examiner as medically related.

Planned live testing of the Hood River Interstate Bridge lift span has been pushed back by about a month.  Port of Hood River Executive Director Michael McElwee says that’s based on feedback from inspectors who looked at the mechanical and electrical systems of the lift span last week.  They found the postponement will allow a couple of other tasks related to the lift span skew system to be carried out.  Live testing involves gradual raisings of the lift span until reaching its full height, with engineers examining at each step to see if the span is out of alignment.  The live testing had been planned for late May, but McElwee says they will probably take place in mid-June.

Oregon Second District Congressman Greg Walden will hold town hall meetings in Cascade Locks and The Dalles this week.  The Cascade Locks event will take place on Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. in The Pavilion, while the town hall in The Dalles will be Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center.

Baseball The Dalles 6, Hood River Valley 3:  The Riverhawks scored all their runs in the second inning on five walks and three errors to win their final regular season game, but Pendleton’s win over Hermiston eliminated the Riverhawks from post-season contention. Sherman split with Irrigon, losing game one 5-0 and winning the second contest 15-4. Dufur sweeps Union 13-3 and 14-4 SCAC Tournament:  Cle Elum 2, Goldendale 1   Softball The Dalles 6, Hood River Valley 3:  The Riverhawks clinch the second spot in the Columbia River Conference, and will host a play-in game later this week.   Track and Field Horizon Christian nipped Sherman by two points to win the boys’ title at the Big Sky Conference district track and field meet.  South Wasco was fifth and Dufur seventh.  Luke Holste won both hurdles events for the Hawks, while Sherman’s Isaiah Coles won the long jump and triple jump.  Griswold won the girls’ championship, with South Wasco second, Horizon Christian third, and Sherman fifth.  South Wasco won both relays while Ana Popchock won the triple jump and 200 meters.   Columbia won the Trico League girls’ track and field title.  Stacia Bell won the shot and discus, Lauren Thieseis the high jump, and Alondra Casarez-Garcia the 100 meter hurdles to lead the Bruins.  Stevenson was sixth with event wins from Isabella Pitcher in the triple jump and Rachel Zolp in the pole vault.  In the boys competition, Kalama nipped Columbia by one-and-a-half points for first, while Stevenson was third.  CHS won the four by 400 meter relay, while Lincoln Krog won the triple jump and high jump and Luke Nichols the pole vault for Stevenson.   Boys Soccer Southwest Washington Class 1A Boys’ Soccer Tournament Hoquiam 1, Columbia 0:  The loss ends the Bruins’ season.  CHS finished the season with a 13-4 record and the Trico League title.   Tennis Johanna Wilson and Kiana Pielli of The Dalles finished second at the Special District 1 tournament at Sunriver to advance to the state tourney this coming weekend at Portland Tennis Center.   Two Goldendale girls’ doubles teams reached the quarter-finals in the SCAC West tennis tournament that was delayed by rain on Saturday in Yakima.  Competition continues today.   Boys Lacrosse Grant 12, Hood River Valley 6 Hood River Valley 15, Hermiston 6

Travel Oregon will hold a seminar in The Dalles next week to help visitor-related organizations and businesses learn where resources are available.  The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says the event will be a chance to learn what the state’s tourism promotion organization has to offer, including how to find the resources to allow a business to benefit from visitors.  The seminar will be on May 26 at Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles.  Registration is required, for sign-up information call the Chamber at 541-296-2231.