Washington Gorge Action Programs has named Cristian Olivares and Ben Noble as co-directors of an effort to promote civic engagement among low-income residents. Olivares most recently worked with the Skamania County Emergency Warming Shelter team out of WAGAP’s Stevenson office, while Noble will continue to support WAGAP housing teams with conflict resolution management as he broadens his scope into civic engagement. The pair will first focus on helping to promote a cleanup of Ekone Park in Goldendale being sponsored by the East Houseless Task Force scheduled for May 11 between 9 a.m. and noon in Goldendale. Olivares is working on ideas to increase the number of Latinos who are registered to vote and participate in city council meetings. Noble wants to support people and groups across Klickitat and Skamania counties to be active in decision-making, including the Indigenous community. WAGAP established the program with a two-year, $250,000 grant by the Inatai Foundation.
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Goldendale Man Pleads Guilty To Tampering With Train Brakes
A Goldendale man has pleaded guilty to tampering with the brakes of railcars stopped at Wishram in February of last year enroute to California. The Tri-City Herald reports that court documents indicated 58-year-old Forrest Ethan Wanous says he was drunk at the time and has no memory of his action. He is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court for the crime of violence against railroad carriers May 28 in the Yakima U.S. Courthouse. By the time Wanous was identified as a suspect and questioned, he was serving a 15 month sentence in the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton for felony DUI. Wanous’ attorney said he has recently completed inpatient treatment for substance abuse and is living in Walla Walla with the help of the Veterans Administration. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern Washington District has agreed to ask for five years’ probation rather than incarceration for Wanous, pointing out in court documents that would place him under court supervision longer than he would serve in prison plus probation under federal guidelines.
April 16 Prep Sport
Baseball
Putnam 12, Hood River Valley 9: The Eagles come back from a 12-0 deficit after two innings fell just short. Jordan Webber had four hits, a homer, and drove in four runs.
Columbia split with Castle Rock, losing game one 10-0, but winning game two 15-14. Bryce Wang drove in three runs for the Bruins in game two.
Irrigon 12, Dufur 8
Culver 7, Sherman 2
Softball
Hood River Valley 7, Centennial 6, 9 innings: HRV used four straight hits with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to score four runs and tie the game, then won it when Marina Castaneda scored as a ground ball with two outs in the bottom of the ninth was mishandled.
Columbia sweeps Castle Rock 5-3 and 11-4
LaCenter sweeps Stevenson 14-5 and 15-5
Goldendale sweeps Toppenish 17-16 and 17-2
Track and Field
Hood River Valley’s Jackson Bullock and Syl Perrin won two events apiece in a three-school Northwest Oregon Conference meet at Wilsonville.
Boys Tennis
LaSalle 8, Hood River Valley 0
Girls Tennis
LaSalle 5, Hood River Valley 3
Boys Lacrosse
Hood River Valley 7, Central Catholic 5
Girls Lacrosse
Hood River Valley 9, Central Catholic 5
Boys Soccer
Stevenson 5, Winlock 4
No Update On Klickitat County Jail At Commission Meeting
There was no update on the County’s look at the Klickitat County Jail at Tuesday’s County Commission meeting, with Commission Chair Lori Zoller saying staff continues working on a long list of items on the potential options available should a decision be made to close the jail, with more being added on a daily basis. Zoller also said there won’t be movement on the issue for the next two weeks with Commissioner Dan Christopher planning to be absent from their meetings. She also reiterated her belief that between pending litigation and budget concerns that have been discussed for years, the County has to address the jail now. Zoller also addressed her cancellation of a planned Tuesday evening County Commission Town Hall session, saying the jail issue has taken over their regular meetings which went beyond civil discourse, and along with a radio announcement describing it as “a Sheriff’s Town Hall” that was pulled, she decided to use her position as Commission Chair to cancel it.
HR County Commission Appoints Muenzer To Vacant District 4 Seat
The Hood River County Commission voted to appoint Chad Muenzer to the vacant District 4 seat on the board to finish out the remaining eight-and-a-half months of the term of the departed Les Perkins. Commissioners struggled with the appointment after Muenzer, who is one of three candidates looking to be voted into the position during the upcoming May primary, was the only applicant to fill out the term. Commission Chair Jennifer Euwer had leaned toward waiting until after the primary to see if there was a clear winner, but other commissioners felt they could be in the same position a month from now if no one receives over 50 percent of the vote. Commissioner Arthur Babitz pointed out that District 4 should have a representative on the board as budget discussions are beginning, adding making the appointment doesn’t mean the panel is indicating some kind of preference. Muenzer did say during his interview before the Commission that he would step aside from the position f one of the other two candidates on the ballot was to be a clear winner with over 50 percent of the vote in the May election.
Work On Highway 97 Bridge Over Bickleton Highway To Start
The Washington State Department of Transportation says construction will begin Monday to rehabilitate the Highway 97 bridge over the Bickleton Highway. Work will include repairing damaged driving surface areas, overlaying the decks with fresh concrete, and replacing the guardrail. During construction there will be a temporary traffic signal in place to guide travelers through the work zone, and flaggers will also be used periodically throughout the project. Travelers through that area should expect delays of up to 20 minutes when flaggers are present. The project is expected to be finished in June.
Prep Sports Roundup For April 15
Baseball
The Dalles 7, Gladstone 2: Cooper Klindt drove in three runs while Sam Shaver and Nolan Donivan combined to strike out 10 batters.
Softball
The Dalles 10, Gladstone 0: Siyra Faulkner pitched a five-inning no-hitter while Sydney Newby homered, doubled, and drove in three runs.
Cherry Fest Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are still needed to help with this weekend’s Northwest Cherry Festival in The Dalles. The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says they have needs in a number of areas, but to do garbage patrol in particular. She adds they are looking for youth organizations whose students need community service credit and the group needs to do a fundraiser. To learn more, call the Chamber at 541-296-2231. The festival starts Friday afternoon and continues through Sunday.
Port of HR Planning Session Talks Post-Bridge Vision
When the Port of Hood River Commission held its spring planning session recently, much of the discussion revolved around what the agency will look like when the current Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge is retired. The Port board wants its budget to no longer be dependent on tolling revenue after Fiscal Year 2025-26. Port Executive Director Kevin Greenwood says they are already been heading down that path, cutting costs where possible in anticipation. Some ideas for revenue for the Port include an expansion of paid parking on the Waterfront, increasing cash flow from the Port’s ten-acre property in Odell, and rental of t-hangars at the Ken Jernstedt Airfield.
Songer Claims Zoller/Anderson Move To Close Jail Is Personal
Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer issued a public salvo at County Commissioners Lori Zoller and Jacob Anderson over the weekend, claiming in a social media post on the Sheriff Office Facebook page that two law enforcement representatives of NORCOR told him conversations between the regional jail in The Dalles and the County about housing prisoners there had been casual. In his statement, Songer said he was told NORCOR had made no commitments, the expenses involved would blunt any savings from a move from the regional jail. and that it could take six months to reach an agreement. He goes on to say he believes the move to close the jail is based more on personal animosity Zoller and Anderson have towards him. There has been no response from those two commissioners at this point. Meanwhile, it was announced on Friday a County Commission Town Hall planned for Tuesday evening has been cancelled. No reason was given, but a statement from the County said it would be rescheduled on a later date. The next County Commission meeting is Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. in Goldendale.