The Northwest Cherry Festival in The Dalles this spring will be headquartered on Fourth Street from Federal to not quite all the way to Union Street. The festival had to move off of First Street as renovations there will be taking place for at least a year. The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says they have worked with the City of The Dalles to make the decision to move to Fourth Street. She realizes this will be inconvenient for some businesses on Fourth Street, but they are working to lessen the impact. Farquharson says the Chamber and the City will be releasing further details on the Festival’s new location in the very near future. The Cherry Fest will be the weekend of April 24th to the 26th.
Category: Uncategorized
Port of Hood River To Transition To New Parking App
The Port of Hood River is transitioning to a new mobile app for paid parking in the Waterfront area. Port Executive Director Kevin Greenwood says they will start using the same app the City of Hood River uses for parking, which should be more convenient for users. The parking arrangements on the Waterfront won’t change, just the app that is used for people to make payments. Greenwood notes as the Port transitions away from bridge toll revenue to backfill waterfront recreation costs, the paid parking established three years ago has become an important part of paying for those services.
Big River CLT Receives Grant For Affordable Home Development
Big River Community Land Trust says it has been awarded a $2 million federal grant to put toward developing 40 affordable homes in the Hood River area. Big River CLT recently acquired 2.7 acres on Avalon Drive to create a cluster of affordable homes. The organization says the grant will allow it to accelerate planning, site preparation, and construction for moderately sized homes set up to remain affordable through the community land trust model. Big River CLT says it is about halfway to its $4 million goal to cover development expenses and administrative costs, and is turning to the community for additional support to reach that target. Those wishing to help can go to bigriverclt.org.
Cherry Blossom Respite Now Operating
Cherry Blossom Respite at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center in The Dalles is now operating. It’s a dementia-specific respite care program funded in part by a grant from the Center of Dementia Respite Innovation, designed to provide relief for caregivers supporting those living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Respite care provides caregivers time to rest while ensuring the person living with dementia receives safe and compassionate support. The program received a grant of over $13 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with the remaining funds coming from non-government sources. Caregivers interested in learning more about dementia-specific respite care can contact Cherry Blossom Respite at 541-288-8315 or email at cherryblossomADP@gmail.com.
February 13-14 Prep Sports Roundup
Swimming
Hood River Valley’s boys earned seven entries to next weekend’s Oregon Class 5A Championships and the girls’ six spots out of the Northwest Oregon Conference Championships. Luca Montague won both the girls’ 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, while Felipe Mendez won the boys’ 100 breaststroke and Kane Wagner the 100 freestyle. HRV was also victorious in the girls’ 200 medley relay, girls’ 200 freestyle relay, and the boys’ 200 medley relay.
The Dalles gained eight boys’ entries and six girls’ entries for the state 4A Championships during the Special District 1 meet. Rhett Loughmiller won both the boys’ 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle. The Dalles boys’ 200 and 400 freestyle relays also won district titles, as did the girls’ 400 freestyle relay team.
Girls Wrestling
Hood River Valley’s Valeria Solorio Campos won all four of her matches to win the 155 pound division at the 6A/5A District 2 Tournament at Sandy, as three HRV wrestlers advanced to state. Solorio Campos won all four of her matches by fall, including in the final to defeat Dominica Rodela of Jefferson 2:15 into the match. Also earning spots in the state tournament in two weeks were Ayleen Marquez at 110 and Xiomara Gordian-Gomez at 155.
Boys Wrestling
The Dalles advanced three to state at the 4A District 4 Tournament in Madras. Harley Scott at 138, Aiden Flores at 144, and Kaedyn Linker at 215 all earned third place finishes to nail down their invitations to the state meet.
Girls Basketball
Columbia 44, Elma 43: The Bruins advance to the Southwest Washington Class 1A District Semi-Final. They will go on the road to take on Montesano on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Dufur 45, Trout Lake 40
Ione-Arlington 33, Sherman 28
Baker 65, The Dalles 50
Boys Basketball
Horizon Christian 61, Klickitat-Glenwood 53
Dufur 59, Trout Lake 29
Ione-Arlington 59, Sherman 56
One Killed In Highway 97 Accident
One man was killed in a head-on collision Thursday evening on Highway 97 north of Goldendale.
According to the Washington State Patrol, an SUV was northbound at milepost 16 just after 8 p.m. Thursday evening when it crossed the center line.
It then struck an on-coming truck and trailer.
The driver of the SUV was killed.
That person has not been identified, pending notification of next of kin.
The driver of the truck and trailer was uninjured.
It is not yet known if drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident.
QLife Receives $15 Million In Federal Funds
Q-Life has secured $15.2 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding to bring high-speed fiber internet to 924 homes and businesses in Northern Wasco County.
The award is part of Oregon’s newly approved BEAD Final Proposal, authorized by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
QLife is one of 19 awardees chosen to help bring broadband to areas of Oregon that lack reliable service.
This project targets these eligible homes and businesses within the Northern Wasco County School District.
Under the BEAD program, QLife will install more than 30 miles of fiber broadband over the next four years, starting in the rural and unincorporated areas west and southwest of The Dalles, including neighborhoods near Chenoweth Creek, Cherry Heights and Browns Creek.
The network will also expand to upland areas between The Dalles and Mosier, along with select homes and businesses along the Columbia River on the east side of The Dalles.
The project is expected to support about 20 jobs.
The total project investment is approximately $20 million, including a required local match of about $5 million.
February 12 Prep Basketball Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
Canby 71, Hood River Valley 47
The Dalles 70, Madras 67
Fort Vancouver 87, Columbia 38: The Bruins will play in a loser-out game at Hoquiam on Tuesday evening.
Girls Basketball
Canby 52, Hood River Valley 49
The Dalles 49, Madras 46
Washington February 10 Vote: White Salmon School Bond Passing
The White Salmon Valley School District’s 20-year, 78-million dollar bond measure to create a K-12 campus at the current middle and high school location to replace the aging Whitson Elementary School is passing after the initial vote count Tuesday night.
Nearly 66 percent of voters had said yes…1,320 to 692…easily surpassing the 60 percent super majority threshold.
The district’s Educational Programs and Operations Levy had a nearly 69 percent approval rate…1,399 to 633.
The Klickitat County Auditor’s Office will release updated numbers later today.
Among other school district levy renewal measures…Lyle’s was passing 419 to 219…Glenwood’s was being approved 93 to 46…Trout Lake’s replacement enrichment levy was narrowly passing 187 to 175 while its capital levy for playground improvements also had a narrow majority, 183 to 178…and Centerville’s levy was passing 100 to 48…but Klickitat’s requested levy was failing 52 to 43.
The West Klickitat County Cemetery District levy lid lift was being approved 1,116 to 639.
In Skamania County…the Stevenson-Carson School District levy had seen 771 yes votes to 647 no…while the Skamania School District levy was being approved 92 to 60.
February 10 Prep Basketball Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
Southwest Washington District Play-In Game…Columbia 69, Rochester 57: The Bruins win a second straight must-win contest to advance to the double elimination district tournament. They will visit Fort Vancouver on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Lyle-Wishram 50, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 39
South Wasco 95, Klickitat-Glenwood 35
Horizon Christian 64, Trout Lake 19
Girls Basketball
Trout Lake 48, Horizon Christian 16
Sherman 34, Central Christian 32