Boys Basketball LaSalle 64, Hood River Valley 56 Barlow 84, The Dalles 66 Kalama 60, Columbia 29 Ridgefield 73, Stevenson 45 Dufur 62, Culver 36 South Wasco 63, Lyle-Wishram 42 City Christian 57, Horizon Christian 39 Klickitat-Glenwood 41, Open Door 32 Southwest Christian 67, Trout Lake 40   Girls Basketball Putnam 43, Hood River Valley 20 Ridgefield 40, Stevenson 24 Culver 41, Dufur 24 Lyle-Wishram 53, South Wasco 16 Horizon Christian 35, City Christian 24 Trout Lake 25, Southwest Christian 23 White Swan 55, Goldendale 36

Crews are dealing with storm related issues in Hood River County this morning.  The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office is reporting Country Club Road is closed from Barrett Drive to Riordan Hill due to downed trees and power lines.  A tree has been reported falling into a house on Frankton Road…and another on an apartment in the Heights area, with no injuries reported.  Cascade Locks is reported to be having a power outage at this time, and there are sporadic power outages in the Hood River area.  Sheriff’s dispatch says Pacific Power crews are out working to restore power where there has been outages.  There have been no flooding issues reported on the Hood River as of early this morning.

The Hood River County Planning Commission will receive code language to regulate short-term rentals sometime in January.  Planning Commissioners spent Monday evening being brought up to speed on the direction Councilors gave for developing the code.  Last month, Councilors reached consensus on wanting to put regulations in place for the short-term rentals, and to seek a cap on the number of permits to issue for them at current levels, with no cap on short-term rentals of rooms in primary residences.  City Planning Director Cindy Walbridge said commissioners did not deliberate on anything, nor will they until a public hearing early in 2016.  Walbridge notes the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development must receive notice 35 days in advance of the hearing.

Public hearings are planned for this month before the Wasco County Planning Commission to present a draft ordinance on the time, manner, and place for marijuana businesses to operate in unincorporated areas of the County.  Hearings are planned for December 16 and 21 at 3 p.m. in the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.  The planning panel will make a recommendation to the County Commission, which will make a decision on December 28.  County Commissioner Steve Kramer says all options remain on the table, including possibly referring a measure to opt-out of the state’s legalization of marijuana businesses to the voters, but they’ve been advised a final decision must be made by the 28th.  The draft ordinance is to be posted on the County website on Wednesday.

Oregon 59th District Representative John Huffman says he will be introducing a bill to regulate recreational and hobby drones during the February legislative session.  A workgroup has been working on the bill as reports of interference with manned aircraft and firefighting efforts became frequent this past summer.  Huffman says while penalties will be in put place through the bill, at the same time they want to emphasize education for proper drone use.  Huffman pointed out there is a website called knowbeforeyoufly.org that provides a guide for proper unmanned aircraft use.

The Oregon School Activities Association Executive Board on Monday approved a plan that will allow The Dalles High School to play an independent football schedule next season.  Under the plan, the remaining three Columbia River Conference schools, Hood River Valley, Pendleton, and Hermiston, will join the five Intermountain Conference teams in the Bend and Redmond area to form a special district for football only.  The Columbia River Conference will continue as currently constituted for all other sports.  The Dalles has struggled with participation numbers in its football program for a few years, and will play smaller schools under an independent schedule as the program attempts to rebuild.

No major flooding issues were reported along the Hood River in the wake of Monday’s heavy rains.  National Weather Service statistics indicate about two-and-a-half inches of rain fell in the Hood River area on Monday.  Hood River County Sheriff Matt English said water did get over the Mount Hood Railroad train trestle at Powerdale on Monday.  But after cresting just above flood stage on Monday evening, English reported the Hood was down by four to five inches this morning.

Girls Basketball Kalama 71, Columbia 52:  The Chinooks used a 27-12 fourth quarter to pull away for the Trico League win, as Kaelyn Shipley and Parker Esary both registered double-doubles for Kalama.   Boys Basketball Nixyaawii 79, Sherman 48

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Hood River.  The river had reached flood stage at 13 feet at about 4 p.m., and is expected to crest at 13.5 feet at 6 p.m.  The river is expected to go over its banks in a few locations, and minor flooding of low-lying property and roads adjacent to the river is likely.   Officials advise people to stay away from river banks that may be eroded away by the high and fast-flowing water.  Heavy rains are expected to continue for the next three days.   Local health officials advise at least two sewage treatment plants in the area have released wastewater into local rivers and streams. Sewage overflow happens when the treatment plant is overwhelmed with greater than normal flows. Excessive runoff has also carried contamination from livestock and other domestic animals into the local waterways.

A group seeking to block Nestle’s proposed water bottling plan in Cascade Locks and prohibit commercial water bottling in Hood River County turned in signatures to place the measure on the May 2016 ballot.  Campaign backers for the Local Water Alliance turned in more than 1,600 signatures to the Hood River County elections office Monday.  497 valid signatures are needed to qualify the measure for the ballot.  County officials will verify the signatures over the next few days.  Nestle has been taking steps towards establishing the bottling plant in Cascade Locks since 2008.  Earlier this year, the Cascade Locks City Council voted to seek the Oregon Water Resources Department’s permission to swap a portion of its well water right for a half-cubic foot per second of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s right to draw 10 cubic feet per second from Oxbow Springs.