Oregon State University Engineering recently came to the Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center’s orchard in Hood River to test out a pear picking robotic arm. MCAREC Director Brian Pearson says one of the hurdles was for the robot to see the fruit in the tree, and another is to successfully pick it gently and smoothly. He says the goal now is to refine that process, and after that it will be to make the process quick and efficient. Pearson says it is definitely not right now, with human pickers much faster at this point. He adds they will also test developing orchards that are more two dimensional in nature, something that is already happening in apple orchards.
Category: Uncategorized
Latest Schedule Of Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Closures
Drivers using the Hood River–White Salmon Bridge should plan for several upcoming closures.
The bridge will be fully closed to vehicle traffic Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., to allow a tugboat to pass.
Then, overnight closures for steel and coating maintenance will begin Wednesday.
The bridge will be closed Monday through Friday nights, from midnight until 5:30 a.m., through October 23. No weekend closures are planned.
The maintenance work was originally scheduled to begin September twenty-ninth but was postponed.
Drivers should use an alternate route during the overnight closures and allow extra time for travel.
Additional bridge work requiring single-lane closures is expected after October 23. The dates have not yet been finalized.
The Port of Hood River says it appreciates the public’s patience during the work.
October 2-3 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Football
Sandy 36, Hood River Valley 12
Baker 47, The Dalles 20
Kalama 65, Stevenson 12
Dufur 60, Imbler 28
Rainier 44, Sherman 22
Echo 66, Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 16
Griswold 70, South Wasco 25
Volleyball
Imbler def. Dufur 25-27, 25-14, 25-10, 25-21
Sherman def. Umatilla 25-21, 25-15, 25-17
Damascus Christian def. Trout Lake-Glenwood 3-0
Lyle-Wisrham-Klickitat def. C.S. Lewis Academy 25-12, 25-17, 25-18
Cross Country
The Dalles boys were second and the girls third at the Run With Neil Invitational at Scappoose. Lazarus Taylor finished second and Luke Sorenson third for the Riverhawk boys, while Alessandra Meza was seventh for The Dalles girls.
Trout Lake’s Melody Stock was the winner while Felicity Peck was third in the girls’ race at the Apple Ridge Invitational in Yakima. Trout Lake’s Merrek Stock was ninth in the boys’ run.
Orchard Fire 100% Contained
The Orchard Fire near The Dalles is now 100 percent contained, and all assigned firefighting resources have been released. Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue and the Oregon Department of Forestry say crews spent several days conducting suppression operations, building containment lines, mopping up, removing hazards and patrolling the fire perimeter. Updated mapping puts the fire at approximately 155 acres. No firefighting crews are currently assigned to the Orchard Fire. MCFR and ODF will continue monitoring the area and will respond if conditions require additional action. Officials say some smoke from larger interior fuels may still be visible, but the fire perimeter is secure and the Orchard Fire remains 100 percent contained. Officials say the response to the fire highlighted the importance of automatic aid, mutual aid and regional partnerships across the Columbia Gorge.
CWD Monitoring Expands
Oregon wildlife officials are expanding Chronic Wasting Disease monitoring as deer and elk hunting seasons get underway. For hunters in the Columbia Gorge, Celilo Park, just off Interstate 84 at Exit 97 west of Biggs Junction, is a key check station. The station will be open Sunday through Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to dusk, for the opening of deer season. It will also operate October 31through November 2 for the first Rocky Mountain elk season. ODFW is asking all successful deer and elk hunters to voluntarily submit a sample for CWD testing. Sampling takes about 10 minutes. Hunters who pass a posted CWD check station while transporting harvested deer or elk are required to stop. Hunters can also get animals tested through participating taxidermists and meat processors, ODFW offices, and designated collection bins. More information is available from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. CWD is a fatal disease that has been detected in Idaho, Washington and California, but not yet in Oregon.
Bentz Introduces Medicare Legislation
Oregon Congressman Cliff Bentz, a Republican, and New York Congressman Dan Goldman, a Democrat, have introduced legislation aimed at expanding Medicaid coverage for inpatient psychiatric care. The IMD CARE Act would allow Medicaid funding for psychiatric facilities with more than 16 beds. That limit dates back to the Social Security Act of 1965. Under current law, states seeking federal Medicaid reimbursement for larger psychiatric facilities generally must obtain temporary waivers. Supporters of the bill say those waivers can be complex and unpredictable. The legislation would create a state plan option for Medicaid coverage at larger Institutions for Mental Diseases, providing what supporters describe as more predictable and stable funding. Bentz says expanding access to psychiatric beds could help people with severe mental illness get treatment and reduce pressure on hospitals, law enforcement and correctional systems. Goldman says outdated Medicaid restrictions have left some people without access to needed mental health care. The National Association for Behavioral Healthcare also supports the legislation, calling the current 16-bed restriction outdated.
Mackency Receives WAGAP El Grito Heart Award
Washington Gorge Action Programs has named Alicia Flores Mackency this year’s recipient of its El Grito Heart Award. The award recognizes a community member who has gone above and beyond to support family, neighbors and the broader Gorge community. Organizers say Flores Mackency’s story reflects perseverance, service and a commitment to helping others. An immigrant and former farmworker, Flores Mackency spent years harvesting pears and strawberries at Dickey Farms before beginning what became a 21-year career with the Employment Department. She went on to become a translator and interpreter, helping Latino community members access essential services and understand their rights. Her work included interpreting in hospitals, courts and other settings. She was present for 22 births and three C-sections, helping families communicate during critical moments. Beyond her professional work, Flores Mackency has provided housing and connected newcomers with food banks and other community resources. She continues to serve by volunteering with the Glenwood Women’s Club and as an interpreter at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
October 1 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
The Dalles 5, Molalla 0: The Riverhawks moved into a tie for second in the Tri-Valley Conference at 2-1.
Girls Soccer
The Dalles 5, Molalla 1: The Riverhawks stay unbeaten in Tri-Valley Conference play, in spite of giving up their first goal of the season in the seventh game of the year.
Columbia 6, Stevenson 0
Trout Lake 6, Toutle Lake 1
Volleyball
Pendleton def. Hood River Valley 25-16, 25-18, 25-17
Columbia def. Stevenson 3-0
Dufur def. Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 25-14, 25-9, 25-14: Dufur remains atop the Big Sky Conference with eight straight wins.
Sherman def. Ione-Arlington 25-20, 25-18, 20-25, 14-25, 15-10: The Huskies are second in the BSC at 8-1.
Trout Lake-Glenwood def. Horizon Christian 3-0
Dufur def. Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 25-14, 25-9, 25-14
South Wasco def. Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 3-0
Boys Water Polo
Hood River Valley 6, Hillsboro 4
Girls Water Polo
Hood River Valley 13, Hillsboro 5
Man Presumed Deceased After Kayak Found Adrift In The Columbia
The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office is continuing a recovery operation in the Columbia River following reports of an unoccupied boat adrift near the end of a sandbar.
Authorities say they received multiple reports at about 2:08 Thursday afternoon.
Marine Patrol deputies later found a fishing kayak in the area, with its trolling motor still running.
A search for the kayak’s owner was launched with assistance from the sheriff’s office plane, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police and the Hood River Police Department.
The owner has been identified as David Kalousdian of Hood River.
The Sheriff’s Office says he has not been found and is presumed deceased.
Search efforts are continuing, but authorities say the mission has shifted from a search operation to a recovery operation.
September 30 Prep Sports Roundup
Volleyball
The Dalles def. Estacada 3-1: The Riverhawks move to 3-0 in the Tri-Valley Conference.
Cross Country
Lilah Zimmerman led a group of four Columbia Bruins to finish in the top six to win the girls’ half of a four-school Trico League meet in Vancouver. Kathryn O’Connor of CHS was second, while Stevenson’s A’Layjha Johnson was third. Seton Catholic swept the top three places to hold off Columbia in the boys’ race. Jack Brooks was fourth and Colby Clark fifth for the Bruins.