Steel and coating maintenance work on the Hood River–White Salmon Interstate Bridge scheduled for the next two weeks has been postponed until further notice, eliminating the need for overnight closures. Port of Hood River Executive Director Kevin Greenwood says they’ve paused the work as they realized their contractor did not have key personnel and equipment ready to do the work. Greenwood says they should have a better idea on when the project can actually take place in the next couple of days, adding when the work is rescheduled, the Port will provide the public with at least three weeks’ advance notice. This is the second major delay in the work, originally scheduled to begin in late September, and Greenwood says weather could play a factor on when it can actually take place.
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Report Shows CGCC’s Economic Impact
Columbia Gorge Community College is touting a new economic impact study saying the school generated an estimated $65.2 million in added income for the Columbia Gorge region during fiscal year 2023-24. The report by the firm Lightcast says that contribution equals about two percent of the region’s gross regional product and supports approximately 830 jobs — roughly one out of every 43 jobs in the region. The college’s biggest economic impact comes from its former students. Their skills, earnings and productivity generated an estimated 51-point-3 million dollars in added income and supported 584 jobs. The study showed CGCC operations supported another 229 jobs, while student spending supported 17 more.
October 7 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
Hood River Valley 0, Parkrose 0: Hood River Valley just missed getting the game winning goal on a rebound at the end of the game, but the shot was ruled to have come just after the clock expired.
The Dalles 1, North Marion 0: The win pushes the Riverhawks into first place in the Tri-Valley Conference.
Girls Soccer
Hood River Valley 4, Parkrose 1
The Dalles 8, North Marion 0: The Riverhawks nailed down their eighth shutout in nine overall games to remain unbeaten in the TVC.
Volleyball
Sandy def. Hood River Valley 20-25, 25-16, 25-12, 25-10: HRV goes back to .500 in the Northwest Oregon Conference at 4-4.
The Dalles def. Gladstone 25-12, 25-15, 25-11: The Dalles won its sixth straight Tri-Valley Conference match.
Wasco Commissioners Sign Letters For Grasshopper Fire Recovery
Wasco County Commissioners approved signing a pair of letters seeking support for Grasshopper Fire recovery. One is to Mt. Hood National Forest Supervisor Meta Loftsgaarden asking for the Forest Service to prioritize protection of drinking water and irrigation supplies, accelerate implementation of remaining green projects, fully utilize available tools, authorities, and partnerships, and support a coordinated recovery work plan. The other is to Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Congressman Cliff Bentz, requesting supplemental funding for the recovery work. Commission Chair Scott Hege noted the estimated recovery cost on just federal lands are nearly $50 million, and why mitigation efforts are needed. Water supplies and irrigation infrastructure are among the highest priorities. The fire affected watersheds serving Badger Improvement District and Rock Creek District Improvement Company, as well as portions of The Dalles Watershed.
Deal Approved To Provide In-Custody Forensic Evaluation At NORCOR
Wasco County Commissioners approved a three-year agreement between Northern Oregon Regional Corrections and Northwest Forensic Institute to provide in-custody forensic evaluations for some individuals held at the regional corrections facility. Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill says this will ensure timely and high-quality professional evaluations to support judicial and corrections processes. A forensic evaluation is an impartial mental health or psychological assessment ordered by a court or legal system to answer specific legal questions rather than to provide personal therapy. Magill says the four NORCOR county sheriffs had noted inmates who need this process were experiencing long waiting times for the evaluations. The four NORCOR counties are splitting the cost of the contract.
Gorge Commission Publishes Building Handbook
The Columbia River Gorge Commission has just released a new Building in the Scenic Area Implementation Handbook. The over 60 page publication includes updated graphics, landscape setting descriptions from the Scenic Area Management Plan, a section on defensible space and fire resistant building materials and vegetation, and examples of site and grading plans. Gorge Commission Senior Land Use Planner Joanna Kaiserman says the handbook is designed to act as a guidance document. Digital copies are available at gorgecommission.org or at the Columbia River Gorge Commission office in White Salmon.
October 6 Prep Sports Roundup
Girls Soccer
LaCenter 3, Columbia 2
Castle Rock 0, Stevenson 0
Volleyball
LaCenter def. Columbia 25-14, 25-15, 17-25, and 25-13
Castle Rock def. Stevenson 3-0
Dufur def. Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 3-0: The Rangers remain unbeaten in the Big Sky Conference with their ninth straight win.
Ione-Arlington def. Horizon Christian 25-18, 25-5, 25-14
South Wasco def. Trout Lake-Glenwood 25-23, 25-18, 25-23
Boys Golf
Stevenson defeated Columbia in a nine-hole match at Elk Ridge Golf Course. The Bulldogs’ Cameron Engel was the medalist, with a two-under-par 34.
Cross Country
Columbia won the boys half and Stevenson claimed the girls win by a single point in a Trico League dual meet at Strawberry Island. Stevenson’s Colton Hollis was the individual boys’ winner, followed by four Columbia runners. Lilah Zimmerman of CHS took first place in the girls’ race, followed by a trio from Stevenson.
Body Of Missing Kayaker Recovered
The body of a man missing since Thursday when his kayak was found adrift in the Columbia River has been recovered. The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office says on Tuesday afternoon it received a report of a body in the Columbia River near the tip of the sandbar close to the Hood River Waterfront. Deputies responded and recovered the body shortly afterward. The body was identified as David Kalousdian, who was reported missing from the same general area on Thursday. An investigation determined that Kalousdian’s inflatable life vest did not have a recharge kit installed, which rendered it ineffective. Search efforts included the Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol vessel and Search & Rescue plane.
Hood River County Commission Talks Prepared Food & Beverage Tax
Hood River County Commissioners held an initial discussion with a variety of consultants on how to gauge whether a prepared food and beverage tax would be palatable to voters. Robert Whelan of EcoNorthwest told the panel he estimated a six percent tax could bring in $5.8 million for the County in 2028, with about 60 percent of that paid by visitors. They also discussed beginning a program of stakeholder outreach with an eye toward a survey on the proposal. Commissioner Arthur Babitz pointed out that when a similar measure failed in 2019, there was not an organized campaign effort for it. Both Jake Weigler of Praxis Political and Ben Patinkin of Patinkin Research Strategies said their first step would be one-on-one stakeholder conversations, moving to focus groups, and eventually polling.
Bridge Funding Answer Expected At The End Of The Year
The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority expects to learn whether it will receive a $532 million grant from the Federal Bridge Infrastructure program by the end of the year. Bridge Authority board member Jacob Anderson gave an update on the project to the Klickitat County Commission on Tuesday. Anderson said they have made it through the initial cut-off round for the grant, and are now in the final ranking round, and the agency submitted updated information for its benefit/cost analysis. Anderson noted they reached the 60% design milestone during the summer, and should have full construction ready plans by December. The goal is to be able to hit the in-water work window in 2027, to be on track to open a new bridge by the fall of 2031.