There will be single lane closures of the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge next week as crews from Hamilton Construction make preparations for the wire rope replacement project. The closures will start at 8:00 p.m. and continue through 5:30 a.m. the following morning, and will take place on four consecutive nights, beginning on Monday night. Flaggers will be on the bridge to direct traffic around the moving work zone. Motorists should expect delays of up to 30 minutes depending on traffic volume. On Monday there will be an early morning lift of the bridge’s lift span that will close both lanes for approximately 30 minutes, starting at 5:00 a.m. During the lane closures, crews will stage jacking equipment and adjust the counterweights in preparation for the full closure coming the first week of November.
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WSDOT Lowers Highway 14 Speed Limit Near Stevenson
The Washington State Department of Transportation is lowering the speed limit along Highway 14 near Stevenson to improve safety. Beginning Thursday, travelers approaching Stevenson will be required to reduce their travel speed from 55 to 40 miles per hour, and the speed limit will be reduced again to 25 miles per hour through town. The speed limit remains at 55 between North Bonneville and Rock Creek Drive, but drops to 40 from Rock Creek Drive to Rock Creek Bridge, and down to 25 from Rock Creek Bridge through the City. The reduced speed limits will be in place until further notice. The transportation department says it will continuously monitor the speed limit changes for their effectiveness. The transportation department noted Stevenson has experienced substantial growth and is a favored spot for vacationers and outdoor recreation enthusiasts, so reducing speed limits along state highways within urban areas helps to ensure they are safe and pedestrian-friendly.
October 18 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Volleyball
The Dalles def. Molalla 25-10, 25-8, 25-8
Big Sky Conference Volleyball Playoffs
Condon def. Dufur 3-2
Sherman def. Trout Lake-Klickitat-Glenwood 25-22, 25-16, 25-19: Sherman and Condon advance to join South Wasco and Ione-Arlington in the semi-finals on Saturday in The Dalles.
Cross Country
Freshman Lilah Zimmerman’s first place finish led Columbia to the girls’ team title at the Trico League Championships at Vancouver Lake. The Bruins held off Seton Catholic by taking places 11 to 14 behind Zimmerman. Stevenson took third, led by freshman Daisy Jones with a fifth place finish. In the boys’ race, Seton Catholic won while Columbia was third and Stevenson sixth. Columbia’s August Lorincz was the top area finisher in eighth.
Wasco County Commission Gets Market Analysis For Sports Complex
Wasco County Commissioners received the market analysis study for a regional sports complex. Ryan Sheridan of Hunden Strategic Partners says their analysis shows strong demand for a complex that would include outdoor athletic fields and a second phase incorporating indoor courts for basketball and volleyball. The report showed it would be year seven before the facility could be expected to turn a slight profit, but Sheridan added most communities build these facilities with a goal of driving sports tourism and the dollars it can bring. The issue initially came up when then-Mid-Columbia Medical Center presented the County with a plan to build a new hospital on the current Kramer Field. But how the now Adventist Health Columbia Gorge will proceed is a question, and Commissioners indicated this project might no longer be as connected to that as it was previously, adding they would like to see more conversations with potential community partners.
Roosevelt Landfill Loses Third Contract
Klickitat County Commission Chair Dan Christopher revealed during the panel’s meeting on Tuesday that Republic Services has lost another large contract for the regional landfill in Roosevelt. During a discussion of a funding request from the White Salmon Valley Pool Metropolitan Park District as that group continues its effort to build a swimming pool, Christopher said that last week Republic Services lost a contract for taking refuse from Mason County after losing a similar contract with Spokane County two weeks ago and with Skagit County during the summer. Christopher noted during the meeting that Klickitat County has been receiving tipping fees from all those contracts. He says that’s a large amount of revenue the County won’t have next year, and they will have to re-evaluate their revenue forecasts for 2024. Commissioner Jacob Anderson said they will have to have some very difficult discussions on their budgets as a result of the contract losses.
NCPHD Meeting Cancelled
A planned special North Central Public Health District board meeting to discuss becoming a department of Wasco County that was scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled. The district issued notice of the cancellation Wednesday afternoon, but no reason was given, and there was no mention of when it might be rescheduled. The question of whether the district should become a department of Wasco County has been discussed since Gilliam County withdrew from the district that also includes Sherman County last year. The topic was the focus of a lengthy district board meeting in August, but there was no clear indication of what the decision might be.
Fatal Accident On I-84
A 44-year-old Keizer man died Monday morning in a two-vehicle accident on Interstate 84 about six miles west of Cascade Locks. According to the Oregon State Police, a preliminary investigation indicated a car operated by Jamal Haji Hassan Kimo was westbound near milepost 38 when it began to hydroplane on standing water on the roadway. The car struck the freeway’s northern guardrail, and then reentered the westbound lanes of travel in the path of a westbound commercial truck and trailer, and was struck on the drivers’ side door. The OSP says Kimo was declared deceased at the scene. The driver of the truck was not injured.
White Salmon Schools Hope To Have Parking Lot Work Done This Week
The White Salmon Valley School District is hoping the delayed paving of the parking lot at its secondary school campus will be finished by the end of the week. District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says delays were caused by weather and the development of a sinkhole in the parent drop-off lane in front of Henkle Middle School. Polkinghorn noted the lot was built years ago on top of a swamp. Polkinghorn said their engineers have determined the sinkhole issue has been resolved, allowing the repaving to continue.
Gorge Tech Showcase Set For October 26
The Gorge Tech Showcase is planned for next week. The annual event is held by the Gorge Technology Alliance. Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Executive Director Jessica Metta says there will be presentations sharing the latest news from area tech companies and any job openings they might have. Metta adds the Showcase provides excellent networking opportunities. The Showcase will be Thursday, October 26, starting at 6 p.m. at The Ruins in Hood River. It is free for Gorge Technology Alliance members, and $15 for non-members.
The Dalles Asking Citizens To Fill Out Water Line Survey
The City of The Dalles water service line survey has been mailed out to every water customer in the City’s service area. The City says it has no known lead service lines in its system. But to comply with the revised Federal Lead and Copper Rule, the City must record an inventory of all materials in our system from the water main to where the service line connects to a building. The Dalles Public Works Department is asking people to help by using the unique QR code on the survey that has been mailed out to fill out a short online survey and upload a picture of a scratch test of the pipe. The brochure will have simple instructions for doing the scratch test. There is also a how-to-video available on the City website, thedalles.org. Questions or comments can be directed to the Public Works office (541) 296-5401.