It is Blossom Time in the Hood River Valley.  The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce Blossom Time travel promotion now runs for the entire month of April.  It had gone to three weekends in recent years, but Chamber Executive Director Mike Glover says after blossoms started to appear in late March last spring, they decided to simply use the entire month of April as “Blossom Time.”  Blossom Time brochures are available on-line at hoodriver.org.

Some bills backed by Washington 14th District Representatives have been signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee.  Norm Johnson authored House Bill 2772 allowing public hospital districts with revenues exceeding $15 million to participate in job order contracting.  Gina McCabe wrote House Bill 2391 to allow counties to modify monthly payroll systems so that no more than 50 percent of earned salary is paid on the draw day, bringing federal and state payroll laws into alignment.  In addition, Johnson praised the Governor’s signing of Senate Bill 6245, which requires distance and near-vision screening of students in every school district.

Baseball Hood River Valley 8, Ridgeview 7 Redmond 8, The Dalles 5 Columbia 4, King’s Way Christian 3 LaCenter 8, Stevenson 3 Sherman 13, Lyle-Wishram 3 Kiona-Benton sweeps Goldendale 12-4 and 14-1   Softball Hood River Valley 9, Mountain View 6 The Dalles 24, Redmond 3 Glencoe 2, The Dalles 1 Kittitas sweeps Goldendale 15-0 and 23-7   Track and Field Hood River Valley won the boys’ title of the East County Classic at Mount Hood Community College.  Parker Irusta won the 200 meters, 400 meters, and long jump to lead HRV, while Sebastian Barajas won both the shot put and discus.  The Dalles was seventh, led by a third place finish by Julian Hernandez in the javelin.  In the girls’ portion of the meet, HRV was fifth and The Dalles sixth.  Katie Kennedy won the high jump and Abby Kinoshita the triple jump for the Eagles, while Kayla Seibel earned a third in the triple jump for the Riverhawks.   Sherman won the boys title and South Wasco the girls’ crown at the Sherman Invitational.  Isaiah Coles won the high jump, long jump, and triple jump to lead the Husky boys, while Ana Popchock won the 800 meters and the triple jump to lead the Redside girls.   Second place finishes by Brian Golding in the boys’ 300 meter hurdles and Ocean Bryan in the girls’ 300 meter hurdles highlighted the Goldendale at the Don Holder Relays in Yakima.   Boys Tennis Ridgeview 8, Hood River Valley 0   Girls Tennis Ridgeview 6, Hood River Valley 2   Boys Lacrosse Hood River Valley 11, Clackamas 10:  Torsen Brown scored three goals for the Eagles in the win.   Girls Lacrosse Lincoln 9, Hood River Valley 6:  The Cardinals snapped the Eagles three-game winning streak.

The Superhero 5K and 10K Fun Run and Walk to benefit Mid-Valley Elementary School student Kyle McCarthy is set for Saturday (April 2).  Kyle came down with a virus last year that left him partially paralyzed and dependent on a ventilator to breathe.  Mid-Valley teacher Mikka Irusta says the goal is to raise $6,000 to go towards an ultra-light wheelchair for Kyle to take another step towards independence.  Registration for the run and walk is $25, and it begins at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow morning at Mid-Valley Elementary on 3686 Davis Drive in Odell.  Donations to help Kyle McCarthy can also be made at CentrePointe Community Bank in Hood River.

The Dalles Public Works will begin working on resurfacing West 15th Street between Garrison and Trevitt Streets on Monday.   The one block section will be closed to all traffic, including for parking, as the street is prepared for surface paving through the project duration.  Following repaving, utilities will be raised to complete the project.  Work is expected to take place between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday.  Motorists are encouraged to use West 14th or West 16th Streets as alternative routes around the immediate work area.

Baseball Sandy 6, Hood River Valley 5 (8 innings):  The Eagles lost for the first time in Oregon this season, falling to 6-3. The Dalles 8, LaSalle 1:  The Riverhawks break a three-game losing streak to move to 3-5 on the season.   Boys Soccer LaCenter 5, Stevenson 0   Boys Lacrosse Hood River Valley 12, Canby 11:  The Eagles win their third straight game to begin the season.   Girls Lacrosse Hood River Valley 16, Wilson 2:  Lydia McElderry scored six goals as HRV won its third straight.   Boys Tennis Goldendale 4, Naches Valley 0   Girls Tennis Naches Valley 5, Goldendale 0

The Port of Hood River Commission spent a large portion of its spring planning session discussing whem to apply for federal funding to do engineering and environmental impact statement work towards a new bridge over the Columbia River.  Applications for the first round of funding in the current five year window under the latest transportation bill must be done in two weeks.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says one hurdle to making an application in the next two weeks is to identify where a required 40 percent match for up to five million dollars in federal funds would be acquired.  If the Port chooses to wait, they would work toward the second round of applications next year.  McElwee said the Port does want to position itself to make the larger request to help fund construction of a new bridge by the end of the current five-year cycle.

The Dalles Public Works Department will begin work on Monday (April 4) to replace a section of water main line and install a new fire hydrant on Trevitt Street between 7th Street and 9th Street.       Work is expected to take place from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays next week.  After the lines are installed the street will be paved and opened back up to motorists as soon as possible.  For the duration of the project Trevitt Street will be closed from 7th to 9th Streets to all traffic, including emergency vehicles, with no parking allowed along either side of Trevitt in the immediate work area.   Motorists are encouraged to use Bridge and Garrison Streets as alternative routes to avoid the work area.  8th Street residents will need to use Bridge Street for access to their homes, as 8th Street will be closed at the intersection with Trevitt.

Softball Hood River Valley 9, LaSalle 4:  Kaylin Winans drove in four runs with a homer and two doubles as the Eagles pushed back above the .500 mark with the win.  Emily Curtis, Lauren Decker, and Hannah McNerney had two hits apiece as HRV moved its record to 5-4.   Track and Field Columbia’s boys won a seven-school meet in White Salmon.  James Bell won both hurdles races for the Bruins, while Chandler Bucklin was victorious in the 200 meters and the long jump.  LaCenter won the girls’ portion of the meet, with Columbia finishing third.   South Wasco’s girls tied for second and the boys were third at the Culver Invitational.  The Redsides’ Ana Popchock won the girls’ long jump and triple jump, while Ellis Rager won the boys’ shot put and discus for the South Wasco boys.

The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a sexual assault on the Indian Creek Trail.  The Sheriff’s Office says at about 10 a.m. Wednesday a female Hood River Valley High School student reported that she was the victim of a sexual assault on an area of the trail near the school.  The attacker is described as a white male in his late 30’s with light brown hair and a medium to slender build.   He is reported to have stubble facial hair and was wearing a blue athletic shirt with tan cargo shorts.  The victim was alone and did not know her attacker.  The Sheriff’s Department says an extensive ground and air search was conducted, but no suspect was identified.  Sheriff’s detectives are continuing to investigate.  Anyone who may have information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 541-387-7077.