Washington 14th District Representatives saw most of their policy bills get through committees before the cut-off deadline.  Norm Johnson said almost all of the bills he sponsored have moved on to the Rules Committee, and Gina McCabe reports the same as well, including bills to encourage employment of veterans and criminalize the taking of upskirt photographs.  Johnson did lose one bill, with a proposal to expand a program providing college credits to high schoolers not able to make it out of committee.

Boys Basketball Columbia River Conference Regular Season Hood River Valley 82,  The Dalles 76:  HRV scored the first 17 points of the fourth quarter, then hung on for the win that lifted them to a second place finish in the Columbia River Conference.  Scottie Ziegner scored 15 points, Kayden Gibbs 14, and Dallas Buckley 12 for the Eagles.  Coby Conlee tallied 28 points and Colin Noonan 25 for The Dalles.  The Eagles’ win, combined with Hermiston’s 45-38 loss to Pendleton, gives Hood River a home game in the Class 5-A play-in round next Tuesday night.   Oregon Class 1A Tournament First Round Dufur 63, Joseph 42:   The Rangers will go to Siletz Valley for a second round game Friday night. Sherman 79, Life Christian 53:  The Huskies move on to visit Damascus Christian in round two Friday. Horizon Christian had a first round bye, and will host Triangle Lake on Friday night.   Girls Basketball Columbia River Conference Regular Season The Dalles 53, Hood River Valley 27:  Brooke McCall scored 14 points to lead the Riverhawks to a win in the final league game of the season.  Kelsey Wells scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Eagles.

The Dalles City Council, acting in its capacity as the Columbia Gorge Urban Renewal Agency board, approved purchasing the Elks Building in the downtown area so it can be renovated to house a neon sign museum.  The board approved having the agency purchase the building for $245-thousand dollars, then transfer the title to David Benko, the original curator of the American Sign Museum of Cincinnati.  His group, Rock City Neon, would then bear the cost of remodeling the building, estimated at over one million dollars.  Mayor Steve Lawrence says the quick two-year turnaround to complete the project was a major reason he supported it.  The Portland Art Museum is going to be a primary fundraiser for the project.  One condition for the sale outlines the right of Urban Renewal to recover the building if the museum is not open within two years.

Hood River City Councilors have decided the large lawn area at Waterfront Park should not be rented out for private events.  The City is going through the process of establishing boundaries of private uses in the facility.  Councilors decided renting out picnic shelters is allowable, and one-time special events that are private in nature but open to the public can be done.  City Manager Steve Wheeler says there is a basic philosophy being developed centered around the park having been paid for with public dollars, so it should be open accessible to the public.  Wheeler added the policy toward renting out space in Waterfront Park is a work in progress.

Two recreationalists died in separate incidents in Hood River County over the weekend.  The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office says 43-year-old Erik Elton Schulz of Portland died Saturday afternoon after suffering an apparent medical emergency while motorcycling on a trail near the 640 Road on the east side of the Hood River Valley.  Friends at the scene attempted lifesaving measures without success.  On Sunday morning, deputies were called to the Surveyors Ridge area off of U.S. Forest Service Road 4410 when a man was found at the bottom of a cliff.  The man, later identified as 24-year-old Peter William Clifford Bryner of Portland, was a member of a camping party staying in that area.  Bryner was discovered by people in the group, who then made the call to the Sheriff’s Office.  When responders arrived, it was determined that Bryner was deceased, likely a result of a fall.   Both deaths are still under investigation and official cause of death in both instances has not been determined.

The Hood River City Council will hear a presentation on stormwater runoff during their Monday night meeting and techniques to help reduce the amount of runoff and help make it cleaner.  City Manager Steve Wheeler says there are techniques including the use of bioswales and drainage of ponds that can accomplish those goals.  Mayor Paul Blackburn says the City is trying to look at its capital facilities plan to see where stormwater runoff improvements can be made.  Blackburn adds requirements for these strategies can be placed on new construction, but he also notes with the City already trying to encourage more affordable housing, they have to be mindful of placing additional costs on developers.

Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer says eliminating the undersheriff position has saved his department about $54,000.  Songer says that savings is getting used to put more deputies on patrol, but notes he hasn’t added any new deputies.  With the reorganization, Songer is trying to maintain a three deputy minimum on each shift, with one in the western part of the county, one in the central portion, and one in the eastern portion.  Songer says that not only improves response times, it increases safety for officers by making it easier to provide backup.

Two people were killed in a three-car accident on Highway 14 at the Dog Mountain Trail parking area.  According to the Washington State Patrol, a car driven by a 17-year-old male from West Linn was eastbound on Highway 14 when he missed the turn into the trailhead, and stopped in the middle of the road.  Another car driven by a 16-year-old male from West Linn stopped behind it, and was rear-ended by a third car driven by a 35-year-old Portland man, pushing that car into the front vehicle.  One of the passengers in the car originally hit, a male of unknown age from Gladstone, was deceased at the scene, while another passenger from that vehicle, a 16-year-old West Linn male, died while being taken by ambulance to a hospital in Vancouver.  The driver of the car that was first hit along with a 17-year-old male passenger were taken to Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries, while the drivers of the other two cars were not injured.  The WSP says the 35-year-old has been charged with second degree negligence, while other chargers were referred to juvenile court.

Oregon Class 5A Swimming   Hood River Valley’s girls finished fourth in the team standings, led by Dhani Freeland’s second place finish in the 100 yard freestyle and third place in the 100 backstroke.  The Eagles also had a third in the 400 yard freestyle relay, and fourth places in 200 medley relay and from Kylie Webb in the 400 individual medley.  Annessa Clear of The Dalles finished sixth in the 50 freestyle.   Washington Class 1A Wrestling   Stevenson’s Colton Van Pelt finished fifth at 160 pounds, while Bryce Wilkins of Goldendale was sixth at 170 pounds.   Mt. Hood League Skiing   Hood River Valley swept the top three places in the boys’ race at Mt. Hood Meadows with Austin Keillor, William Lamer, and Patrick Crompton while the Eagles’ Lucy McLean and Kelli Clarke were one-two for the girls.  The efforts nailed down league championships for the HRV boys and girls, with Keillor and McLean winning the season-long individual titles.  The Dalles used a third place boys’ final race finish to take second for the season, paced by Eli Holeman’s fourth place run.  Columbia’s Colin Howe won the boys’ slalom season title.  The state championships will be March 4-6 at Mt. Hood Meadows.   Boys Basketball Columbia River Conference Pendleton 48, The Dalles 25   Big Sky Conference Tournament Semi-Finals Sherman 53, Dufur 44 Horizon Christian 58, South Wasco 23   3^rd Place Dufur 45, South Wasco 30:  Dufur will be at Joseph in round one of the 1A tournament on Tuesday.   Championship Horizon Christian 48, Sherman 47:  Sherman will host Life Christian on Tuesday in round one of the 1A tournament, Horizon will meet a team to be determined in round two on Friday.   Girls Basketball Columbia River Conference Pendleton 47, The Dalles 39 Hermiston 59, Hood River Valley 27   Big Sky Conference Tournament Semi-Finals Sherman 42, Dufur 31 Condon-Wheeler 59, Ione 26   3^rd Place Dufur 39, Ione 34:  Dufur visits Powder Valley on Wednesday at 6 p.m. for round one of the 1A tournament.   Championship Condon-Wheeler 60, Sherman 45:  The Huskies host North Clackamas Christian in a 1A tourney first round game on Wednesday.

Hood River County is seeking $150,000 from the state to fund analysis of the need for a renovated or new courthouse.  County Administrator David Meriwether says the facility built in the early 50’s was found during a state analysis a few years ago to be in need of major changes to be sufficient for modern courtroom operations.  Meriwether says the County will include an appropriation in its budget to help pay for the cost of the analysis.  Questions to be answered include where would a new courthouse be built, should the current location be used or sold to purchase another location, and space needs.  Meriwether adds the County may go back to the Legislature in two years for a significant allocation to replace the courthouse.