Oregon State Police say a 55-year-old Bend man was killed in a head-on crash on Highway 26 in Wasco County Tuesday evening. State police say the crash happened around 6:22 p.m. near milepost 62, close to Government Camp. According to investigators, a westbound 2024 Ford Transit van driven by 20-year-old Alexander Nikkole Meira of Portland crossed into the eastbound lane and collided head-on with a 2022 Subaru Outback driven by 55-year-old Craig Gerard Russillo of Bend. The Subaru caught fire, and several passing motorists pulled Russillo from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Meira suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Oregon State Police say impairment is believed to have contributed to the crash. Meira was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving and second-degree manslaughter. He was lodged at the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility. Highway 26 was impacted for approximately five hours while investigators worked at the scene.
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Pavement Work In The Dalles Next Week
The Dalles Public Works Department will begin a pavement preservation project Monday, affecting portions of East 13th Street and Court Street. East 13th Street will be closed between Washington and Union Streets, and Court Street will be closed between East 12th and East 14th Streets. Full road closures will be in effect Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., through October 29th, weather permitting. The streets will reopen to traffic each evening and on weekends. Crews will grind and reshape the roadways October 19th through the 22nd, followed by paving work October 26th through the 29th. Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians are asked to follow detours, use caution and obey all temporary traffic control signs and devices. For a complete list of projects and a map of the 2026 pavement preservation program, visit thedalles.gov/summerstreetmaintenance.
Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Delays In November
Drivers using the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge should prepare for delays and extended closures November 10th through the 13th. The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority says crews will conduct preparatory field work on and near the bridge from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Travelers can expect intermittent rolling stops, with delays of up to 15 minutes, along with three to four full bridge closures each day lasting as long as one hour. The work is weather-dependent, so exact closure times won’t be available in advance. Crews will try to avoid peak travel periods and minimize disruptions. The work, which includes drone operations, will help prepare for test pile installation expected early next year. Engineers will use the test piles to study how the existing bridge responds to vibrations and other effects from pile installation. That information will help guide plans for the future Hood River-White Salmon Bridge replacement.
Northern Wasco PUD Earns Workplace Recognition
Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District has earned recognition on two Oregon workplace lists, both based on employee feedback. The utility ranked 13th among 33 large organizations on Oregon Business magazine’s 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon list. It’s the third consecutive year Northern Wasco PUD has made the list, moving up from 21st place in 2024 and 16th last year. Northern Wasco PUD also ranked 16th among 34 small employers in The Oregonian’s Top Workplaces 2026 list. That’s the utility’s second consecutive year on the list, and an improvement from 20th place last year. The Oregonian’s rankings included 102 employers across Oregon and Southwest Washington. According to Northern Wasco PUD, employee surveys highlighted workplace culture, work-life balance, pay, benefits and employee well-being as strengths. The utility says that workplace culture and a shared sense of purpose help it attract and retain employees.
October 14 Prep Sports Roundup
Cross Country
Hood River Valley grabbed five of the top ten places to hold off host Putnam in the boys’ portion of a Northwest Oregon Conference race. Gus VandenHouvel was third and Joshua Carley fourth to led HRV. The Eagle girls finished second behind Sandy, as HRV’s Savina Davis outpaced the field by nearly two and a half minutes to easily win the race.
The Dalles girls finished third at the Estacada Invitational. Flamingo Ducyk was the top Riverhawk finisher in fifth. The Dalles was 11th in the boys race, led by Luke Sorenson in 20th.
LaCenter topped Columbia and Kalama in a three-school Trico League race in White Salmon. Lilah Zimmerman and Kathryn O’Connor finished one-two for CHS atop the girls’ race. The Bruins’ Colby Clark finished third in the boys’ race.
Stevenson won the girls’ half of a four school Trico meet at King’s Way Christian. Daisy Jones and A’Layjha Johnson had a one-two finish for the Bulldogs. Stevenson was second to a dominant Seton Catholic squad in the boys’ race. Colton Hollis was the top Bulldog finisher in ninth.
Klickitat County Interim Data Center Ordinance Goes For Legal Review
Klickitat County Commissioners have moved a proposed interim data center ordinance to Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Cranston for a legal review. County Planning Director Scott Edelman says the interim ordinance as currently proposed would be a “moratorium light,” and would make data centers allowable only in industrial zones as it does now as an outright use, but remove the option of applying for them as conditional uses in other zones. The proposed interim ordinance would also prohibit data centers within five miles of any city and one mile from any residentially zoned district. A large group of people attended Tuesday’s meeting and in almost all cases asked the County to establish a moratorium. Commissioner Lori Zoller said she would want legal questions answered before taking that step, adding that going to an interim ordinance would be faster. She also noted the interim ordinance would go to the Planning Commission for a public vetting before the County Commission would approve it.
Hood River Council Gets Update On Goal Progress
The Hood River City Council received an update on progress on their goals for the last two years. Among items that were considered critical, changes to Systems Development Charges and the transfer of the ownership of 12th and 13th Streets on the Heights to the City from ODOT have been completed, while creating a housing bond fund and construction of a new police station awaits the results of the November 3 election. One priority that has been delayed is updates to the municipal development code. City Manager Abigail Elder says the state dismantling the framework for such changes are a big reason that hasn’t happened. Elder says the City Council and the City Planning Commission will hold a joint meeting to get an update from its consultants on the subject sometime in November or December.
TD Council Pauses Construction Change Authorization
Action on a proposal to allow the City Manager to approve construction change orders up to a total of 20 percent of the contracted amount was delayed by The Dalles City Council to allow for more safeguards to be placed on it. City Attorney Jonathan Kara said the policy was proposed to deal with the problem of having to wait two weeks for a City Council meeting for approval of such changes, leading to project delays and more cost increases. Councilor Ben Wring asked for some kind of trigger for Council to be notified. The City Manager already has spending authority up to $100,000. Kara noted the policy as written includes requirements for any changes to be within the agreed upon scope, and to be justified and documented. The policy will be refined and brought back to the Council on October 26.
MCCAC Takes Applications For LIEAP Program
Mid-Columbia Community Action is now taking appointments for intake applications from those who would like to receive help from the Low Income Energy Assistance Program. MCCAC Executive Director Leslie Naramore says the program is first come, first served, but seniors and disabled clients receive first priority. The program makes payments directly to the utility provider. Naramore says funding for this year’s program is down slightly from last year. She adds MCCAC can often help applicants find other sources of assistance when they apply for the energy program. To make an appointment, call 541-298-5131. MCCAC serves Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties. Washington Gorge Action Programs is taking appointments for those in Klickitat and Skamania counties.
Flu Season May Be Arriving Early
We are headed into the flu season. The Columbia Gorge Respiratory Risk Rating shows the region encompassing Wasco, Hood River, Sherman, and Gilliam counties is starting to see a few more people than normal with the flu. Regional Epidemiologist Marta Fisher says the flu season appears to be getting off to an early start. Fisher does say that conversely, COVID cases have been dropping in recent weeks, and in the past couple of years the COVID season has peak in August on the West Coast. The best way to protect yourself is to get your flu shot and wash your hands. Stay home when you are sick, and cover your cough.