Tenth-grade students in Washington may be able to take college courses in high school under a bill that cleared the State House on Monday.  The state’s “College in the High School” program is currently offered to high school students in 11th and 12th grades.   College courses are offered for a fee that is substantially less than regular tuition, and the courses can eventually apply to a degree.  It’s become so popular that high school sophomores want to have a chance to also enroll, and 14th District Representative Norm Johnson authored the bill to make that happen.  The measure passed the House with a vote of 96-1.   It now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

If February was any indication, tourism in Hood River is in for another big year.  Hood River County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike Glover says hotels in Hood River reported more business than usual during February, thanks in part to the mild weather, especially during the Valentine’s/Presidents Day weekend, when most hotels were full.  Glover said it wasn’t just the holiday weekend, but the weekends before and after were also very busy for the lodging properties.  He notes Travel Oregon shows the Mount Hood/Columbia Gorge area has led the state in tourism four of the last six months, with double digit percentage growth.  Glover attributes the growth to a better economy, and a better focus on media relations rather than straight ad buys.

North Wasco County School District 21 Superintendent Candy Armstrong says state school funding for the next biennium needs to reach seven-point-eight-two-five billion dollars in order for schools to effectively provide full-day kindergarten and maintain the other programs they have.  The Legislative Ways and Means co-chairs only put seven-point-two-three-five billion in their budget for K-12, and while there has been speculation the number will reach seven-point-five billion, Armstrong says that wouldn’t be enough.  She acknowledged school officials in the state are being much more direct in their message to Legislators this year that in order to improve Oregon’s educational system, it’s going to take proper funding.  If the funding stays where the Ways and Means co-chairs have proposed, then Armstrong says D-21 will face budget cuts.

Hood River Valley’s Christian Marquez finished second at 132 pounds at the Oregon Class 5A wrestling championships at Portland Memorial Coliseum, losing 7-1 in the final to Matt Hofenbredl of Dallas in a match that was followed by tragedy.  Hofenbredl’s grandfather suffered a fatal heart attack while watching the match in the upper level of the Coliseum.  Hofenbredl was celebrating his victory when a family member came down from the seats, and the wrestler promptly ran up into the crowd.  His grandfather was identified by the website OregonLive as Larry Hofenbredl, The website reports emergency personnel were briefly able to get a pulse, but could not rescue the man.  Matt Hofenbredl and his Dallas teammates quickly left the arena, missing the medal presentation ceremony.   Earlier, Jason Shaner of HRV finished sixth at 120 pounds, splitting his six matches during the tournament.   Three Hood River Valley wrestlers won titles in the girls’ state championship event, also at the Coliseum.  Jessica DeHart won at 106 pounds, defeating Trynadii Rocha of Lincoln by fall 2:51 into the championship match.  At 113, Sarah Sullenger stopped Triangle Lake’s Bailee Davis in the final by fall at 4:53.  And Payton Rigert won by fall at 152, defeating Katherine Dennis of Cottage Grove by fall at 1:59.   Girls Basketball OSAA 1A Second Round North Douglas 58, Sherman 27

Friday Scores Boys Basketball Regular Season Ridgeview 79, Hood River Valley 61 OSAA 1A Second Round Horizon Christian 52, Triangle Lake 21 Siletz Valley 57, Dufur 56 Sherman 48, Damascus Christian 36 Saturday Schedule Girls Basketball OSAA 1A Second Round Sherman at North Douglas, 6 p.m. Tuesday Schedule Boys Basketball OSAA 5A Play-In LaSalle at Hood River Valley, 7 p.m. Wednesday Schedule 5A Girls Play-In The Dalles at Liberty, TBA OSAA 1A Boys Quarterfinals at Baker City Horizon Christian vs. Crosshill Christian, 1:30 p.m. Sherman vs. Country Christian, 8:15 p.m.

East Scenic Drive in The Dalles between East 16th and Jefferson Streets will be closed for over three months beginning on Monday to allow for construction on the East Scenic Drive stabilization project to proceed. Motorists going to Sorosis Park and Columbia Gorge Community College are encouraged to take West Scenic Drive via Trevitt Street. Those who use East Scenic will be detoured on Dry Hollow to East 19th, then taking East 18th to Jefferson. Jefferson Street and Terrace Drive will also remain open. Residents within the work zone will have access to their homes with minor delays. The closure will be in effect until the end of the project, tentatively scheduled for the middle of June.

Internet activists are hailing Thursday’s Federal Communications Commission decision to impose “net neutrality” rules requiring companies providing broadband connections to act in the public interest, essentially making them a utility.  Oregon Senator Ron Wyden hailed the decision, saying the rules will protect a free and open Internet.  Oregon Second District Congressman Greg Walden disagreed, predicting that what he called the “Depression-era” rules will trigger lawsuits.  Walden is the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, which has oversight jurisdiction of the FCC.   He has proposed draft legislation that would replace the FCC rules.  

Oregon 52nd District State Representative Mark Johnson says there are efforts underway to try to get the current K-12 education budget figure for the 2015-17 biennium up to seven-point-five billion dollars.  The Ways and Means Co-Chairs budget put the funding at seven-point-two-three-five billion, and school officials say that is not enough, especially after an Oregon Department of Education estimate of the number of students projected to take full-day kindergarten this coming year went up dramatically.  Johnson, a Hood River Republican, did say Democrat co-chairs Peter Buckley and Richard Devlin updated the House GOP caucus on the budget picture, and there were some positive revenue developments that could help increase the K-12 allocation.  But Johnson added he did not think it would be realistic to expect a number above seven-point-five billion dollars.  Some education officials are seeking a total of eight billion dollars.

Those seeking to establish a food co-op in The Dalles are moving into a second phase of their efforts.  Ten people have been named to serve on a Founding Team for the co-op.  That group will oversee organizational efforts until the organization is established in a legal form with the state of Oregon, when an official board would be elected.  The Founding Board will also work on solidifying a vision for the co-op, and build broader community support and a membership base.  Their next meeting will be this Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Northern Wasco PUD boardroom.

The Dalles City Council approved awarding the contract for design of phase one of renovation and expansion of the municipal wastewater treatment plant.  Mayor Steve Lawrence noted they have very little flexibility on the first phase of the project, due to federal requirements.  The Council approved having the team of Mortenson Construction and Kennedy-Jenks Engineers do the design at a cost of just over $132,000.  The City has over four-point-seven million dollars budgeted for the project.  A contract for construction of the project is expected to be submitted to the Council later this year.